Fleurisa, I don't think anyone was being unfriendly - just pointing out that he did not seem to have the correct training to run a 'Forest School'. Perhaps Dane is not aware of these training programmes.
It is false advertising if no one has the proper training. It's like if I went out and bought myself a stethoscope and lab coat and called myself a doctor. It belittles the time, money and work that went into getting the qualification. My son's nursery claim to teach Forest School despite them just having had an introductory session, it's not fair on people who genuinely have the qualification or those trainers that make a living out of teaching it. If the school is serious about this then they should invest on sending him on the training and do it properly.
To ensure high quality of provision in Forest Schools, accredited training is vital. The Open College Network (OCN) provides 3 levels of Forest Schools accreditation:
• OCN Level 1 – Introduction to Forest School: An introduction to Forest School for practitioners wanting to support an existing Forest School or gain confidence and skills in working outdoors with children within their own setting.
• OCN Level 2 – Assistant Forest School Practitioner: An award for practitioners regularly assisting a Forest School Leader.
• OCN Level 3 – Forest School Practitioners Award: Qualification to become a Forest School Leader, enabling them to run a 'Forest School'.
Dane, wishing you all the best in creating a site suitable for a Forest School. Hopefully the site already has plenty of established trees.
We have been users of a Forest School in South Wales about 6/7 years now, and I love it, as its already a Nature Reserve and of particular importance because of the peat bogs. For me, apart for children learning about nature in the sunshine, fresh air, the best part was learning pythagorean theorem using trees, really what more could you ask for. Our little ones' primary school has a Forest School, with teachers and assistants qualified to teach. The nearby playgroup has access to the Forest School area, but are not obviously allowed to say they run a Forest School, as none of the EYFS teachers have Forest School qualifications. So advertise that they have access to a Forest School site which of course is quite different.
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Fleurisa, I don't think anyone was being unfriendly - just pointing out that he did not seem to have the correct training to run a 'Forest School'. Perhaps Dane is not aware of these training programmes.
It is false advertising if no one has the proper training. It's like if I went out and bought myself a stethoscope and lab coat and called myself a doctor. It belittles the time, money and work that went into getting the qualification. My son's nursery claim to teach Forest School despite them just having had an introductory session, it's not fair on people who genuinely have the qualification or those trainers that make a living out of teaching it. If the school is serious about this then they should invest on sending him on the training and do it properly.
To ensure high quality of provision in Forest Schools, accredited training is vital. The Open College Network (OCN) provides 3 levels of Forest Schools accreditation:
• OCN Level 1 – Introduction to Forest School: An introduction to Forest School for practitioners wanting to support an existing Forest School or gain confidence and skills in working outdoors with children within their own setting.
• OCN Level 2 – Assistant Forest School Practitioner: An award for practitioners regularly assisting a Forest School Leader.
• OCN Level 3 – Forest School Practitioners Award: Qualification to become a Forest School Leader, enabling them to run a 'Forest School'.
Obviously my understanding of the sentence ' we have been given the go ahead to create a Forest School' is different to yours.
Dane, wishing you all the best in creating a site suitable for a Forest School. Hopefully the site already has plenty of established trees.
We have been users of a Forest School in South Wales about 6/7 years now, and I love it, as its already a Nature Reserve and of particular importance because of the peat bogs.
For me, apart for children learning about nature in the sunshine, fresh air, the best part was learning pythagorean theorem using trees, really what more could you ask for.
Our little ones' primary school has a Forest School, with teachers and assistants qualified to teach. The nearby playgroup has access to the Forest School area, but are not obviously allowed to say they run a Forest School, as none of the EYFS teachers have Forest School qualifications. So advertise that they have access to a Forest School site which of course is quite different.