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

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What’s in it for you?

**Hands-On Training**: Learn the essentials of outdoor learning, nature-based education, and child-led discovery from experienced leaders in the field.
**Practical Skills**: Gain the skills to create engaging, safe, and transformative outdoor experiences. Learn about fire-lighting, shelter-building, tool use, and environmental stewardship.
**Child Development Focus**: Understand how to support confidence, resilience, and teamwork in children, using nature as a powerful learning environment.
**Certification**: On completion, you’ll earn an accredited certification to lead Forest School sessions, opening doors to exciting opportunities in outdoor education.

Who Should Join?
This course is perfect for:
– Educators looking to expand their teaching methods
– Nature enthusiasts who want to share their passion
– Youth leaders and childcare professionals
– Anyone eager to foster a deeper connection between children and nature

Why Choose Us?
**Expert Trainer**: Learn from skilled Forest School professional. A Forest School Association Endorsed Trainer with 30 years outdoor experience.
**Community**: Join a network of like-minded individuals passionate about outdoor learning.
Ready to start your journey?
Explore, inspire, and lead with confidence. Join today to become a Forest School Leader and start changing lives—one forest at a time.

For more information and to register, visit https://coastandforest.co.uk/contact-us/

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Do you have a passion for nature and a calling to inspire young minds? Take the next step in your journey with our **Forest School Leader Course**—where education meets adventure!

What’s in it for you?

**Hands-On Training**: Learn the essentials of outdoor learning, nature-based education, and child-led discovery from experienced leaders in the field.
**Practical Skills**: Gain the skills to create engaging, safe, and transformative outdoor experiences. Learn about fire-lighting, shelter-building, tool use, and environmental stewardship.
**Child Development Focus**: Understand how to support confidence, resilience, and teamwork in children, using nature as a powerful learning environment.
**Certification**: On completion, you’ll earn an accredited certification to lead Forest School sessions, opening doors to exciting opportunities in outdoor education.

Who Should Join?
This course is perfect for:
– Educators looking to expand their teaching methods
– Nature enthusiasts who want to share their passion
– Youth leaders and childcare professionals
– Anyone eager to foster a deeper connection between children and nature

Why Choose Us?
**Expert Trainer**: Learn from skilled Forest School professional. A Forest School Association Endorsed Trainer with 30 years outdoor experience.
**Community**: Join a network of like-minded individuals passionate about outdoor learning.
Ready to start your journey?
Explore, inspire, and lead with confidence. Join today to become a Forest School Leader and start changing lives—one forest at a time.

For more information and to register, visit https://coastandforest.co.uk/contact-us/

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We are really pleased to announce spring Forest School training in Somerset hosted by the Somerset Earth Science Centre.

**Become a Certified Forest School Leader**

Do you have a passion for nature and a calling to inspire young minds? Take the next step in your journey with our **Forest School Leader Course**—where education meets adventure!

What’s in it for you?

**Hands-On Training**: Learn the essentials of outdoor learning, nature-based education, and child-led discovery from experienced leaders in the field.
**Practical Skills**: Gain the skills to create engaging, safe, and transformative outdoor experiences. Learn about fire-lighting, shelter-building, tool use, and environmental stewardship.
**Child Development Focus**: Understand how to support confidence, resilience, and teamwork in children, using nature as a powerful learning environment.
**Certification**: On completion, you’ll earn an accredited certification to lead Forest School sessions, opening doors to exciting opportunities in outdoor education.

Who Should Join?
This course is perfect for:
– Educators looking to expand their teaching methods
– Nature enthusiasts who want to share their passion
– Youth leaders and childcare professionals
– Anyone eager to foster a deeper connection between children and nature

Why Choose Us?
**Expert Trainer**: Learn from skilled Forest School professional. A Forest School Association Endorsed Trainer with 30 years outdoor experience.
**Community**: Join a network of like-minded individuals passionate about outdoor learning.
Ready to start your journey?
Explore, inspire, and lead with confidence. Join today to become a Forest School Leader and start changing lives—one forest at a time.

For more information and to register, visit https://coastandforest.co.uk/contact-us/

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

We are really pleased to announce spring Forest School training in Somerset hosted by the Somerset Earth Science Centre.

**Become a Certified Forest School Leader**

Do you have a passion for nature and a calling to inspire young minds? Take the next step in your journey with our **Forest School Leader Course**—where education meets adventure!

What’s in it for you?

**Hands-On Training**: Learn the essentials of outdoor learning, nature-based education, and child-led discovery from experienced leaders in the field.
**Practical Skills**: Gain the skills to create engaging, safe, and transformative outdoor experiences. Learn about fire-lighting, shelter-building, tool use, and environmental stewardship.
**Child Development Focus**: Understand how to support confidence, resilience, and teamwork in children, using nature as a powerful learning environment.
**Certification**: On completion, you’ll earn an accredited certification to lead Forest School sessions, opening doors to exciting opportunities in outdoor education.

Who Should Join?
This course is perfect for:
– Educators looking to expand their teaching methods
– Nature enthusiasts who want to share their passion
– Youth leaders and childcare professionals
– Anyone eager to foster a deeper connection between children and nature

Why Choose Us?
**Expert Trainer**: Learn from skilled Forest School professional. A Forest School Association Endorsed Trainer with 30 years outdoor experience.
**Community**: Join a network of like-minded individuals passionate about outdoor learning.
Ready to start your journey?
Explore, inspire, and lead with confidence. Join today to become a Forest School Leader and start changing lives—one forest at a time.

For more information and to register, visit https://coastandforest.co.uk/contact-us/

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

We are really pleased to announce spring Forest School training in Somerset hosted by the Somerset Earth Science Centre.

**Become a Certified Forest School Leader**

Do you have a passion for nature and a calling to inspire young minds? Take the next step in your journey with our **Forest School Leader Course**—where education meets adventure!

What’s in it for you?

**Hands-On Training**: Learn the essentials of outdoor learning, nature-based education, and child-led discovery from experienced leaders in the field.
**Practical Skills**: Gain the skills to create engaging, safe, and transformative outdoor experiences. Learn about fire-lighting, shelter-building, tool use, and environmental stewardship.
**Child Development Focus**: Understand how to support confidence, resilience, and teamwork in children, using nature as a powerful learning environment.
**Certification**: On completion, you’ll earn an accredited certification to lead Forest School sessions, opening doors to exciting opportunities in outdoor education.

Who Should Join?
This course is perfect for:
– Educators looking to expand their teaching methods
– Nature enthusiasts who want to share their passion
– Youth leaders and childcare professionals
– Anyone eager to foster a deeper connection between children and nature

Why Choose Us?
**Expert Trainer**: Learn from skilled Forest School professional. A Forest School Association Endorsed Trainer with 30 years outdoor experience.
**Community**: Join a network of like-minded individuals passionate about outdoor learning.
Ready to start your journey?
Explore, inspire, and lead with confidence. Join today to become a Forest School Leader and start changing lives—one forest at a time.

For more information and to register, visit https://coastandforest.co.uk/contact-us/

We are really pleased to announce spring Forest School training in Somerset hosted by the Somerset Earth Science Centre.

**Become a Certified Forest School Leader**

Do you have a passion for nature and a calling to inspire young minds? Take the next step in your journey with our **Forest School Leader Course**—where education meets adventure!

What’s in it for you?

**Hands-On Training**: Learn the essentials of outdoor learning, nature-based education, and child-led discovery from experienced leaders in the field.
**Practical Skills**: Gain the skills to create engaging, safe, and transformative outdoor experiences. Learn about fire-lighting, shelter-building, tool use, and environmental stewardship.
**Child Development Focus**: Understand how to support confidence, resilience, and teamwork in children, using nature as a powerful learning environment.
**Certification**: On completion, you’ll earn an accredited certification to lead Forest School sessions, opening doors to exciting opportunities in outdoor education.

Who Should Join?
This course is perfect for:
– Educators looking to expand their teaching methods
– Nature enthusiasts who want to share their passion
– Youth leaders and childcare professionals
– Anyone eager to foster a deeper connection between children and nature

Why Choose Us?
**Expert Trainer**: Learn from skilled Forest School professional. A Forest School Association Endorsed Trainer with 30 years outdoor experience.
**Community**: Join a network of like-minded individuals passionate about outdoor learning.
Ready to start your journey?
Explore, inspire, and lead with confidence. Join today to become a Forest School Leader and start changing lives—one forest at a time.

For more information and to register, visit https://coastandforest.co.uk/contact-us/

Year Six Participant Engagement and Growth at Forest School | Trends and Reflections

Year Six Participant Engagement and Growth at Forest School | Trends and Reflections

Jun 19, 2024 | education, forest school, forest school training, outdoor education

As the term starts come to an end, we will say goodbye to our year six participants who we have been engaging, playing, fostering, feeding and skill sharing for two academic years. There is no doubt they have changed, matured, grown, friendships developed and people it is a real pleasure to spend time with.

It has been interesting to watch their engagement across these two years.
Whilst reflecting on these two years it is noticeable how trends for activities have waxed and waned, it seems right now some are very hungry for physical activities, leaf bashing well the leaves are better now, and building with wood, making badges and beads too. The usual physical activities such as swings, climbing, hammocks are there too.
Anyone else find activities come and go?


#forestschool 
#play
 #woodland 
#greenwood
 #physicality
 #hampshire

Understanding Mental Health in Young People on YMHD – The Power of Forest School

Understanding Mental Health in Young People on YMHD – The Power of Forest School

Sep 20, 2023 | education, forest school, outdoor education

YMHD, on 19th September each year, is an awareness day that encourages understanding and awareness of mental health in young people.

Here we believe #forestschool really can help support develop good mental health in young people.

We set expectation levels approriate for the ability of the individual, if we set any at all. Yes there are rules but we try and work together on these. We offer a vast range of play activities and invites around the site and area, which they can make use of when they wish, moving from one to another and back or mixing activities to create new. Play is very much at the heart of our ethos alongside physical opportunities, such as swings, hammocks, ladders, slacklines and tree climbing.

They can use tools under supervision to create artifacts of their design.

All attending people can access food and drink when they require not at set times, we do try to lunch together.

We have at the heart of our sessions personal choice, intrinsic motivation, lower expectations, support and no grading or set outcomes.

 #forestschool #mentalhealth #play #woodland #ymhd

 

Registered Forest School Trainer

Registered Forest School Trainer

Sep 21, 2022 | education, forest school, forest school training, outdoor education

 

We are very pleased at Coast and Forest Education to have been through stage 1 of 3 of the approved trainer process. This demonstrates we are meeting the quality standards required and moving to become “approved” this additionally means prospective clients and candidates can check and be assured they should receive quality training.

Forest School Association Qualifications Network

The next stage of the process is for previous candidates to be interviewed about the training they received from Coast and Forest Education. The final stage will be an informal panel discussion with peers.

 

Transformative Forest School Programme: Impact on Children and School Development

Transformative Forest School Programme: Impact on Children and School Development

Jul 5, 2022 | education, forest school, forest school training, outdoor education

I am sure we all work hard and have the ethos very much at the heart of what we provide. I know it chimes with me very strongly, the principles of Forest School, and truly feel I have found my home in the woods and with what I facilitate.

Those who have met me know how passionate I am about the opportunities I offer learners. I believe I offer a very good service but, validation is in short supply at times. Over the past few months I have, with my assistant, offered a short programme to a school and we have all seen the children change, take opportunities, change their social dynamic but undertaking tasks, explored a new space and attempted challenging tasks, skills and activities.

On the whole they have overcome and developed as an individual with no comparison to their peers from the adults.

Then this email drops…

“Where do I start?

Thank you for giving the children in my class the most fantastic opportunity. Each child came with different expectations and a variety of needs (not all that were obvious) but they have all met challenges and enjoyed experiences that this unique opportunity has afforded them. They have all grown as people. Their self-confidence and self-worth has developed and it is a joy to see them. Many have overcome personal obstacles and they are more engaged with academic tasks at school. They all are calmer and less anxious. Parents have also remarked on their children’s demeanour at home too.

I have told them that their peers will be coming to Forest School in September and one of the most delightful outcomes is their pleasure that their friends will have a similar experience too.

A huge thank you to Adrian and Zoe – it’s been amazing.

As a school, we are hoping to develop our own Forest School on site here and I am hoping that our new Head teacher will enable me to complete Forest School training to allow that to happen.

I am sure the next cohort will enjoy their Forest School experience in the autumn as well and I am very grateful that we have been able to offer it to them too.

Kind regards,

E”