Top 5 reasons to take forest school CPD this summer

Jun 8, 2026 | education, forest school, Forest School Training, outdoor education

#feedbackfriday

by | Mar 4, 2026 |

#FeedbackFriday "I also put on the feedback form but want to reiterate how much I enjoyed it. I get really anxious in groups and with new people, however I felt no pressure to talk in the group. The activities I felt weren’t done so everyone was watching each other,...

by | Mar 4, 2026 |

Tuesday this week saw the start of the spring term #forestschool with my longterm school, moving into 15 years working with this school. This half term will see us on school grounds due to some of the needs of the young people attending. We will return to the woods...

by | Mar 4, 2026 |

We are really pleased to be able to offer this new from us to you Workshop. We have been offering our "Ropes, swings and things" course for a number of years, it is well received and feedback has always been positive. We are hoping this will be received as well. Been...

Tarpitecture

Tarpitecture

by | Nov 23, 2025 |

Tarpitecture.On my recent WILD Passport skill share, the phrase 'Tarpitecture' was used by Terry The Forest School Company I love it! I had used 'tarpology' for years, this is my new phraseology.Something I ensure the Forest School Leaders are very competent at this...

Wild Passport Training

Wild Passport Training

by | Nov 7, 2025 |

I have been taking the time to reflect on a couple of days in the woods and a night under a tarp, its been too long. A small group skill share; chewing the fat and looking over, and driving toward, @wild.passport certification for my two skill share colleagues. They...

Top 5 reasons to take forest school CPD this summer

Summer might seem like the obvious time to switch off — but for educators, it’s often the best opportunity to invest in something that genuinely changes your practice. Here’s why forest school CPD should be at the top of your list.

1. You’ll come back to school transformed, not just trained
Forest school CPD isn’t a tick-box exercise. It challenges you to slow down, observe, and let children lead — and that shift in mindset follows you back into the classroom.

2. Summer courses fit around school life
No cover to arrange, no disruption to your timetable. A summer CPD course means you can focus fully on your learning without the pressure of school commitments running alongside.

3. You’ll be ready to launch from September
Completing your training over summer means you arrive in September with a qualification, a plan, and the confidence to get started straight away. Many of our graduates have their first sessions running within weeks of term starting.

4. Small group training means real support
We deliberately keep our courses small. You’ll get proper time with your trainer, space to ask questions, and genuine peer connections with other practitioners — many of whom stay in touch long after the course ends.

5. Your school community will feel the difference
This isn’t just CPD for you. Children, colleagues, and families all benefit when a practitioner brings genuine forest school training into a setting. The ripple effect is real.

Our next course runs on Tarpology, 2nd July at Langley Logs, WD4 8RS. Spaces are limited.

Book your place on Tarpology

#feedbackfriday

Mar 4, 2026 | Forest School Training

#feedbackfriday

Adrian undertaking First Aid training and leading with demonstrations

#FeedbackFriday

“I also put on the feedback form but want to reiterate how much I enjoyed it. I get really anxious in groups and with new people, however I felt no pressure to talk in the group. The activities I felt weren’t done so everyone was watching each other, and just felt so relaxed throughout. My last paediatric first aid course I did at work, I didn’t retain much information as was worried I’d be picked on to answer a question. However I learnt so much from the weekend as never felt pressured to answer, so could actually take in the information. Thank you so much!”

Receiving feedback like this reminds me exactly why I teach the way I do.

Forest School First Aid should feel safe, supportive and grounded — not pressured or performative. Learning sticks when people feel relaxed, not when they’re worried about being put on the spot.

Creating space where everyone can participate without anxiety isn’t accidental — it’s intentional.

Thank you for trusting the process, leaning into the activities, and sharing such honest reflections. It means a great deal.

If you learn best in calm, practical, low-pressure environments, you’re exactly who these courses are designed for.

Mar 4, 2026 | Forest School Training

A blue hammock in a forest school
A wood swing in a forest school setting
A vertical hammock in a woodland Forest School

Perseverance and Resilience in Young people

Tuesday this week saw the start of the spring term #forestschool with my longterm school, moving into 15 years working with this school. This half term will see us on school grounds due to some of the needs of the young people attending. We will return to the woods after Easter.

The site still allows for my Forest school ethos of physical activity to be the basis of my offer. We got the vertical hammock, swings and hammocks up amongst other activities.

The focus of this post is on a young person who showed great resilience and perseverance across our 2-hour session.

This post will focus on a young person who showed great resilience and perseverance across our 2-hour session. They were showing anxiety about their feet being off the floor, sitting down and leaning back. We supported this person into the vertical hammock, which hangs from one single point, with encouragement and support. This is not something I normally do, but on this occasion, it was clear that some extra assistance was needed.

Once they had settled, they were ecstatic, shouting their happiness and letting all know they were very happy there, lifting their feet and swinging gently. They took their snack and drink in the hammock and were very pleased with themselves.

As the session progressed this same person decided they wanted to try the horizontal hammock, attached in the typical way tied off at each end, again there was anxiety about  leaning back and lowering themselves into the fabric. We assisted and again we had the fantastic same response of squeals of delight, arms and legs waving in the air and letting all know how happy they were.

wonderful! This session will live on with me for many years to come. What examples do you have of someone pushing themselves beyond their own boundaries?

 

Mar 4, 2026 | Forest School Training

an advert for a tool refresher cpd workshop in hertfordshire
Bow saw and saw horse in a woodland forest school
picture of a tool box containing knives used at a forest school training session
square lashed woodland swords from a forest school session
a person using a small bow saw and saw horse at Forest school
splitting wood with a wood splitter used at forest school
Forest School Tools Use Refresher Workshop

We are really pleased to be able to offer this new from us to you Workshop. We have been offering our “Ropes, swings and things” course for a number of years, it is well received and feedback has always been positive. We are hoping this will be received as well.

Been a while since you regularly used tools at Forest school? Looking to pick up that skill set again? This workshop will revisit the skills of sawing, shaping wood and simple knots and lashes.

At the end of the workshop you will leave with a saw horse or two made by YOU. This workshop is led by Adrian Goodhand an Endorsed Forest School Association Trainer and owner of Coast and Forest Education and supported by Caroline Langley of Down the Woods.

To book follow this link

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Tarpitecture

Tarpitecture

Nov 23, 2025 | Forest School Training

Tarpitecture.
On my recent WILD Passport skill share, the phrase ‘Tarpitecture’ was used by Terry The Forest School Company I love it! I had used ‘tarpology’ for years, this is my new phraseology.
Something I ensure the Forest School Leaders are very competent at this skill when they leave my courses. It is a really important skill to be ensure their spaces are safe, offer shelter form our tempermental weather; 30 degrees Celsius ☀ or sideways 🌧
Knots and hitches which hold, shapes which shelter and shed water. The variety of shapes and sizes which encompass size of group, safe for a fire, suitable to sleep under, understanding buy cheap buy twice and enjoy the process and play with the model of tarp supplied.
#tarpitecture
#bushcraft
#greenwoodworking
#ForestSchool
#forestschooltraining
#forestschoolleader

A tarp set up during a forest school training module
A tarp set up during a forest school training module for kit storage
A tarp set up during a forest school training module
A tarp set up during a forest school training module for kit storage