Forest School Wales works to ensure that throughout Wales there is sustainable Forest School provision supported by a national network that will nurture the development of projects, offer advice, provide resources, guide best practice and provide continuing professional development.

As a voice for Forest School in Wales we involve members in our regional networking & skillshare gatherings, meetings and online resources while keeping them up to date on current legislation and other events relevant to Forest School. We also help connect members to other organisations involved in Forest School related activities.

Join us at one of our events advertised below or explore this site to find our more about Forest School and provision in your region.

Members of Forest School Wales can now access three preferential rate Public Liability and Employers Liability insurance packages under the Birnbeck Forest School Wales Liability Scheme.

Individual Public Liability from £157; Employers Liability of around £252.

In addition to highly preferential rates these packages simplify the process of insuring Forest School sessions by including cover for trainees, volunteers and sub-contractors.

More Details ...

The Birnbeck Forest School Wales Liability Scheme :

• Endorsement 1: Qualified Individual Forest School Practitioners

Costs £157.50 plus £25 FSW membership = £182 .50
This includes cover for volunteers working with that FSL.

 

The Birnbeck Forest School Wales Liability Scheme :

• Endorsement 2: Forest School Trainees

Costs £157.50 plus £25 FSW membership = £182 .50
The trainee must be working alongside a qualified insured FSL who is also a FSW member.

 

The Birnbeck Forest School Wales Liability Scheme :

• Endorsement 3: Forest School Groups

i) The premium for the Employers Liability cover will be calculated by applying a rate% on the annual wages paid – thus an annual wage bill of £40,000 would create an annual premium for Employers Liability of £252.00, and for £20,000 it would be £126.00.
ii) The premium for the Public Liability section would be rated on Turnover (ie: fees collected etc) at a rate of 0.35% – thus for a turnover of £100,000 the premium would be £350 + tax = £367.50.
Larger organisations requiring both EL and PL will need to add these two costs together, plus a FSW membership of £100.

This package covers volunteers and also sub contractors without their own insurance (who are therefore providing ‘labour only’).

Cover for tools can be negotiated as a extra “bolt-on” cost.

For more information please contact Eddie at Birnbeck Finance Ltd on 01934 522252

You will need to quote your FSW membership number. If you are a trainee you will also need to quote the membership number of the qualified FSL with whom you are working.

For information about becoming a member of Forest School Wales, or to download a membership form please click here

Unfortunately, we have had to postpone this event, probably until October. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Pengwern Mencap College, Rhuddlan

Forest School Wales invites you to join Forest School and other outdoor learning practitioners for a family weekend in the woods sharing activities, good practise and delicious campfire cooking.

Find out more by scrolling down the page or clicking on the tabs below:

Skillshare
About the Venue
Other information
Booking details / Book Now

For more information or to offer skillshare or other help on the day, please contact Sarah Wilson

We will try to tailor sessions around the needs of participants. Please book early to ensure your preferred sessions are included.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

SkillshareGo to top

Please let us know if you would like to offer a skillshare session or other help on the day. So far we have received the following offers and suggestions ~

• Teaching about Sustainability in the outdoors ~ try out some simple activities and games, and help to develop more for various client groups as part of FSW Climate Change project.
• Sustainable cooking and eating at Forest School ~ Why is it better to cook soup than bring a packed lunch? Try a range of campfire cooking techniques and share some Wildfood for the ultimate in low carbon eating.
• Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship ~ what is it and how can we deliver it at Forest School?
• Journey Sticks ~ explore the woodland and learn how to adapt this popular activity for special needs students
• Crafts, songs and activities themed around moles, owls, seasons etc; based on a resource pack developed with Tir Morfa pupils
• Other drop in or led activities eg ~ matchless firelighting, tin can charcoal-making, string making, felt making, Make your own Forest School abacus.

About the VenueGo to top

Pengwern College is a new venue for FSW, and we are very grateful to Mencap and staff at the college for letting us use their grounds. The Forest School site is in the old piggery adjacent to a small mature area of woodland and is used by students from Pengwern College and pupils from Tir Morfa Special School.

The site has a flush toilet, good wheelchair access and plenty of car parking. There is space for camping in a field adjacent to the woods.

The sessions will all be outside or under tarpaulin cover, so you’ll need to dress appropriately!

Other informationGo to top

Decrease your Forest School Carbon Footprint ~ displays linking daily Forest School activities to Climate Change & sustainability

Forest School Swap Shop ~ Bring along your unwanted kit, reports, books, etc. Swap them for something you need in return for donations towards the running of the event. Buy your Woodcookies here!

Trainee trouble shooting ~ a chance for trainees to discuss their portfolios with other trainees and qualified practitioners

UK FS NGB ~ find out how local practitioners will be affected by the planned National Governing Body for Forest School, suggest ways it could support you.

FSW Inclusion project ~ following on the success of the Woodcraft Skills training project, FSW is starting to develop a special needs inclusion project, including training for practitioners working with Special Needs. Come along and find out how you can get involved.

Food ~ we will provide a simple Forest School lunch on both days, an evening meal on Saturday, and lots of opportunities to network over tea and snacks.

Social ~ bring your songs, instruments and night games for a social gathering round the campfire on Saturday evening.

Families welcome ~ we will provide drop-in children’s activities subject to demand ~ please book early to help us plan!

Booking details & reservationsGo to top

All members of Forest School Wales are welcome to participate in this event.

If you have not already joined FSW, learn more about Membership benefits and join now

Costs ~ £20 / adult plus donations for children.

Concessions ~ We need to make this small charge this year to cover expenses like food and volunteer travel as there is no grant funding for this event. FSW does not wish for any member to be excluded because of cost. We are happy to discuss concessions if you contact us.

If you would like to help with this event, find out more, or reserve your place please contact Sarah or Babs or email info@forestschoolwales.org.uk

Fforest Fawr, Cardiff

Forest School Wales invites you to join Forest School and other outdoor learning practitioners for a family day in the woods sharing campfire cooking, celebrating nettles, and learning about sustainable Forest School and other Forest School developments.

Find out more by scrolling down the page or clicking on the tabs below:

Skillshare
About the Venue
Other information
Booking details & Reservations

We will try to tailor sessions around the needs of participants. Please book early to ensure your preferred sessions are included.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

SkillshareGo to top

Please let us know if you would like to offer a skillshare session or other help on the day. So far we have received the following offers and suggestions ~

• Teaching about Sustainability in the outdoors ~ try out some simple activities and games, and help to develop more for various client groups as part of FSW Climate Change project.
• Be Nice to Nettles week ~ try some nettle tea and soup; make nettle string. Learn about other wildfoods at Forest School
• Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship ~ what is it and how can we deliver it at Forest School?
• Other activities including ~ matchless firelighting, tin can charcoal-making, Make your own Forest School Abacus.

About the VenueGo to top

Fforest Ffawr is an extensive area of mature Beech woodland. The simple fire circle has been the focus of Forest School activities for many years for Ty Gwyn Special School and Forest School Wales, and was visited by delegates at the FCW conference (Oct 2010).

The site is owned by the Forestry Commission Wales and has a large car park and good wheelchair access. There are no toilets.

We will be outside all day, so you’ll need to dress accordingly!

Other informationGo to top

Decrease your Forest School Carbon Footprint ~ displays linking daily Forest School activities to Climate Change & sustainability.

Forest School Swap Shop ~ Bring along your unwanted kit, reports, books, etc. Swap them for something you need in return for donations towards the running of the event. Buy your Woodcookies here!

UK FS NGB ~ find out how local practitioners will be affected by the planned UK National Governing Body for Forest School and suggest ways it could support you.

FSW Inclusion project ~ following on the success of the Woodcraft Skills training project, FSW is starting to develop a special needs inclusion project, including training for practitioners working with Special Needs. Come along and find out how you can get involved in developing this project.

Food ~ we will provide a simple Forest School lunch and lots of opportunities to network over tea and snacks.

Please let us know if you would like to bring your family to this event.

Booking details & reservationsGo to top

All members of Forest School Wales are welcome to participate in this event.

If you have not already joined FSW, learn more about Membership benefits and join now

Costs ~ £10 / adult plus donations for children.

Concessions ~ We need to make this small charge this year to cover expenses like food and volunteer travel as there is no grant funding for this event. FSW does not wish for any member to be excluded because of cost. We are happy to discuss concessions if you contact us.

If you would like to help with this event, find out more, or reserve your place please contact Sarah or Babs or email info@forestschoolwales.org.uk

Cefn Wood, Pen y Bont, near Llandrindod Wells

Forest School Wales invites you to join Forest School and other outdoor learning practitioners for a family weekend in the woods sharing activities, ideas and merriment and helping to celebrate our 10th Birthday with our Special Guests, including Gordon Woodall.

Gordon Woodall was the driving force behind much of the early development of Forest School in the UK. He was one of the first people to develop and deliver Forest School Leader training. His first trainees were so inspired they went onto set up FSW, FS SNPT and the FS Trainers Network. First and foremost a highly experienced Forest School Leader, having run Burnworthy Forest School for many years, Gordon is a wealth of inspiration and practical advice.

Annie Thompson was one of the first people in Wales to qualify as a Forest School Leader and set up an independent Forest School. She is a skilled backwoods worker and FS practitioner ~ many of the activities we take for granted at Forest school today, were initially developed by Annie and her friends at Cefn Wood. Annie was a co-founder of FSW and a trustee for many years.

Find out about plans so far by scrolling down the page or clicking on the links below:

Skillshare
About the Venue
Other information
Booking details / book now

Please let us know if you would like to offer a skillshare session or other help at this special celebratory event.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

SkillshareGo to top

We will try to tailor sessions around the needs of participants. Please book early to help us plan an event that delivers what you want!

So far we have received the following offers and suggestions:

• Teaching about Sustainability in the outdoors ~ try out some simple activities and games, and help to develop more for various client groups as part of FSW Climate Change project.
• A walk around Cefn Wood with Annie Thompson looking at how the woodlands are being sustainably managed, and how they support Forest School pupils.
• Sustainable cooking and eating at Forest School ~ Why is it better to cook soup than bring a packed lunch? Try a range of campfire cooking techniques and share some Wildfood for the ultimate in low carbon eating.
• Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship ~ what is it and how can we deliver it at Forest School? Including a guided tour of CAT to get ideas
• Other drop in  or led activities with sustainable theme eg ~ matchless firelighting, tin can charcoal-making, string making, felt making, make your own abacus.

About the VenueGo to top

We’re at Cefn Wood again this year, thanks to Annie Thompson’s generosity. It is a beautiful ancient mixed woodland with a diverse flora and fauna. The woodland is being brought into active management, with evidence of coppicing and oak bark collection.

Adjacent to the wood is a meadow and river – perfect for taking time out. If you’re really lucky you may see an otter like someone on last years event!

This is one of the oldest and best established Forest School sites n Wales and includes a range of beautiful shelters and lots of wooden instruments and other artefacts.

The sessions will all be outside or under tarpaulin cover, so you’ll need to dress appropriately.

Camping ~ pitch your tent in the woods or sleep in one of the existing shelters. The site has a tap & a wheelchair accessible compost toilet

Car parking in the wood is extremely limited, so we may have to organise lifts from a nearby carpark.

Other informationGo to top

Annual General Meeting (AGM) ~ get involved and help to plan our next 10 years of achievements!

Forest School Swap Shop ~ Bring along your unwanted kit, reports, books, etc. Swap them for something you need in return for donations towards the running of the event. Buy your Woodcookies here!

Decrease your Forest School Carbon Footprint ~ displays linking daily Forest School activities to Climate Change & sustainability

Trainee trouble shooting ~ a chance for trainees to discuss their portfolios with other trainees and qualified practitioners

UK FS NGB ~ find out how local practitioners will be affected by the planned National Governing Body for Forest School, suggest ways it could support you.

FSW Inclusion project ~ following on the success of the Woodcraft Skills training project, FSW is starting to develop a special needs inclusion project, including training for practitioners working with Special Needs. Come along and find out how you can get involved.

Food ~ we will provide a simple Forest School lunch on both days, an evening meal on Saturday, and lots of opportunities to network over tea and snacks.

Social ~ bring your songs, instruments and night games for a social gathering on Saturday evening.

Families welcome ~ we will provide drop-in children’s activities subject to demand ~ please book early to help us plan!

Booking details / book nowGo to top

All members of Forest School Wales are welcome to participate in this event.

If you have not already joined FSW, learn more about Membership benefits and join now

Costs ~ £20 / adult plus donations for children.

Concessions ~ We need to make this small charge this year to cover expenses like food and volunteer travel as there is no grant funding for this event. FSW does not wish for any member to be excluded because of cost. We are happy to discuss concessions if you contact us.

If you would like to help with this event, find out more, or reserve your place please contact Sarah or Babs or email info@forestschoolwales.org.uk

Coed Gwern, Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth

Sustainable Forest School

Forest School Wales invites you to join Forest School and other outdoor learning practitioners for a family weekend in the woods sharing activities and discussions on all aspects of sustainable Forest School from Carbon Footprints to funding, with lots of campfire cooking along the way.

Find out more by scrolling down the page or clicking on the tabs below:

Skillshare
About the Venue
Other information
Booking details & reservations

We will try to tailor sessions around the needs of participants. Please book early to ensure your preferred sessions are included.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

SkillshareGo to top

Please let us know if you would like to offer a skillshare session or other help on the day. So far we have received the following offers and suggestions ~

• Teaching about Sustainability in the outdoors ~ try out some simple activities and games, and help to develop more for various client groups as part of FSW Climate Change project.
• Sustainable cooking and eating at Forest School ~ Why is it better to cook soup than bring a packed lunch? Try a range of campfire cooking techniques and share some Wildfood for the ultimate in low carbon eating.
• Sustainable Woodland  Management~ a tour of Coed Gwern /other CAT woods to learn about practical techniques which you can adapt for your client groups.
• Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship ~ what is it and how can we deliver it at Forest School? Including a guided tour of CAT to get ideas
• Other drop in or led activities with sustainable theme eg ~ matchless firelighting, solar ovens, rain water collection systems, tin can charcoal-making, string making, Make your own abacus, Make your own felt
• Funding Forest School ~ a facilitated discussion on funding streams, drawing on useful practice from other areas, to generate ideas for the future
• Engaging with GP referrals ~ a facilitated discussion of the healthy opportunities which woodlands offer and barriers to getting people out into the woods.

About the VenueGo to top

Coed Gwern comprises of 15 acres of mixed regeneration which are home to several rare birds and mammals including dormice.

The woodland was recently purchased by the Centre for Alternative Technology to showcase sustainable woodland management techniques and includes a large green-woodworking shed with pole lathes, and a fire circle which is used by local Forest School groups.

There is a compost toilet on site.

Car parking space nearby is limited but there are regular buses from Machynlleth. Please let us know if you can offer or need lifts.

Accommodation ~ there is a lovely campsite five minutes walk away by the river, and bunkhouse accommodation nearby.

The sessions will all be outside or under tarpaulin cover, so you’ll need to dress appropriately.

Other informationGo to top

Decrease your Forest School Carbon Footprint ~ displays linking daily Forest School activities to Climate Change & sustainability

Forest School Swap Shop ~ Bring along your unwanted kit, reports, books, etc. Swap them for something you need in return for donations towards the running of the event. Buy your Woodcookies here!

Trainee trouble shooting ~ a chance for trainees to discuss their portfolios with other trainees and qualified practitioners

UK FS NGB ~ find out how local practitioners will be affected by the planned National Governing Body for Forest School, suggest ways it could support you.

FSW Inclusion project ~ following on the success of the Woodcraft Skills training project, FSW is starting to develop a special needs inclusion project, including training for practitioners working with Special Needs. Come along and find out how you can get involved.

Food ~ we will provide a simple Forest School lunch on both days, an evening meal on Saturday, and lots of opportunities to network over tea and snacks.

Social ~ bring your songs, instruments and night games for a social gathering round the campfire on Saturday evening.

Families welcome ~ we will provide drop-in children’s activities subject to demand ~ please book early to help us plan!

Booking details & reservationsGo to top

All members of Forest School Wales are welcome to participate in this event.

If you have not already joined FSW, learn more about Membership benefits and join now

Costs ~ £20 / adult plus donations for children.

Concessions ~ We need to make this small charge this year to cover expenses like food and volunteer travel as there is no grant funding for this event. FSW does not wish for any member to be excluded because of cost. We are happy to discuss concessions if you contact us.

If you would like to help with this event, find out more, or reserve your place please contact Sarah or Babs or email info@forestschoolwales.org.uk

“Branching Out in Shropshire: Developing, disseminating and celebrating Forest School”

The conference is suitable for those new to Forest School and those that are experienced practitioners.
Workshops (Titles To Be Confirmed) include: Nature Kindergarten, Inclusion in the Forest, An Introduction to the Forest School Quality Improvement Framework (QuIF), Digital kids, Nature’s Store Cupboard”

Contact sian.wilmot@shropshire.gov.uk for more information

Awi Frances highlighted the urgent need for funding for Forest School delivery, and everyone emphasised the importance of opportunities for skillshare and continuous professional development training in maintaining high standards of Forest School delivery.  Forest School Wales has invited Erica to attend some of our skillshare events this year in order to meet more FS practitioners.  Details to be posted shortly.

More Details ...

Erica was also able to visit a Forest School session in North Wales with pupils from Ysgol Tir Morfa, where six years of tapering delivery from independent practitioner Sarah Wilson coupled with increasing capacity within the school have created high quality cohesive Forest School provision.  Erica was interested in this model as an alternative to that where schools establish their own Forest Schools programmes with little contact with other FS Leaders.

Originally from Cardiff, Erica has a good understanding of the relationship between Welsh and English governments, and FSW board members felt she is ideally placed to ensure that the experiences and needs of welsh FS practitioners are clearly represented within the NGB business plan.

Erica’s appointment as FS NGB Development Officer is the result of last Autumn’s survey which, according to the NGB Steering Group, established a clear mandate to set up a UK-wide governing body for Forest School.

Over the coming months Erica will be consulting widely with interested parties throughout the UK.

One main focus of Erica’s work will be to establish clearly defined national occupational standards for the FSL training and qualification.  She will also be considering what structure will best suit the NGB, and how it can support high standards of FS delivery.

Forest School Wales is being copied into the minutes of the NGB Steering Group meetings, the main role of which from now on will be to support Erica.

Closing date for Applications: 14th January 2011.

See attached Word documents for further details:

Forest School Training the Trainers – Information for Applicants – Phase II

Forest School Training the Trainers – Application Form Phase II – bilingual

Forest School Training the Trainers – Information for Applicants – Phase II – WELSH document

New address and telephone number, same email:

Forest School Wales
Unit 6
Dyfi Eco-Park
Machynlleth   SY20 8AX

Email:  info@forestschoolwales.org.uk

Tel: 0845 4560342

Our new admin assistant Barbara Hadrill will be in the office on Thursday mornings between 9-12 am.

Apologies for delays in replying to emails caused by this move. Please get in touch again if we have missed your enquiry.

The office will be closed for Christmas from the 17th December, and will reopen on 6th January 2011.

See below for photos and more information about the people and groups involved in the new Forestry Hub.

More Details ...

In October Hazel Wildwood handed over her badges of office to our new admin assistant Barbara Hadrill. Trustees presented Hazel with a small Witchhazel (Hamamelis Mollis), in thanks for her all hard work supporting FSW and members for the past four years.

Hazel will be concentrating on her own tree business and a local community tree nursery project, and hopes to be able to offer training for members of FSW in 2011. We all wish her the best of luck.

We also said a sad goodbye to Caswell Bay.
YGC/FSW is very grateful to Swansea City Council and Forest School SNPT for hosting FSW for nearly a decade.

The Forest School Wales office is now located in the Dyfi Eco Park in Machynlleth, where a Forestry Hub has recently been established by Forestry Commission Wales and the Wales Forest Business Partnership in order to boost partnership working between organisations working in Welsh woodlands.

We are very grateful to Frankie Owen of the Wales Forest Business Partnership and Barbara Anglezarke of FCW for supporting FSW to make this move.

Barbara Haddrill has been working hard to get the new office up and running, including getting the computer and email to adapt to the move. The problems are now all ironed out and all being well, things will run smoothly in 2011.

When she is not working for FSW, Barbara and her horse Tyler provide low carbon countryside maintenance muscle, moving logs and bashing bracken. Barbara also works to promote her book ~ Babs to Brisbane ~ which recounts her experiences of travelling to Australia to be a bridesmaid without using aeroplanes, to raise awareness about the effect of air travel on climate change.

Our New Home

The newly established Forestry Hub in the Dyfi Eco Park, Machynlleth brings together in a single office base a range of organisations, from community woodland groups to commercial forest industry organisations.
The Wales Forest Business Partnership’s office has been transformed into the new hub and in addition to Forest School Wales, staff from Coed Lleol, Llais y Goedwig and the Dyfi Woodland Group have already moved into their new base, and will be joined by Wood Fuel Wales and Wood Source Wales over the coming weeks.

The Wales Forest Business Partnership has welcomed the creation of the forestry hub. Partnership Manager Frankie Owen said, “At a number of our recent events, one of the most striking conclusions was that all parties face the challenge of how to better share the knowledge and experience that exists within the timber sector. We expect the new forestry hub will be one more step in making those connections, helping to improve competitiveness of businesses and the sector.”

Barbara Anglezarke, Forestry Commission Wales’s Policy and Programme Manager, said, “A key outcome of the Woodlands for Wales strategy is that people understand the huge range of benefits that woodlands can offer, and that the forestry sector becomes better integrated and more competitive, thus supporting the Welsh economy.
Having such a range of organisations working from the forestry hub will lead to a better understanding of opportunities, co-operative working and shared initiatives within the sector. In addition, overheads for all the organisations will be reduced so that more resources can be used to deliver activities.”

In addition to “hot desks” the forestry hub will also contain a meeting room, and office space for Forestry Commission Wales staff.

Lord Young of Grantham’s report to the Prime Minister – Common Sense, Common Safety – has just been published. It contains important recommendations across the board in respect of health and safety practice.

The report’s analysis and resulting recommendations respond positively to many of the concerns many of us have been voicing for some years.

The extracts below have been circulated by PLAYLINK and will be of particular interest to the play, leisure and recreation sectors, education including outdoor activities, and the voluntary sector.

More Details ...

PLAYLINK has circulated this information to alert practitioners to the report and to offer a taste of its findings.

‘Common Sense, Common Safety’ is well worth reading in full. It can be found at: http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/topstorynews/2010/10/lord-young-report-55605

From PLAYLINK’s perspective, we want to draw particular attention to the significance accorded to:

• Taking a ‘common sense’ approach to health and safety. As many readers will know, PLAYLINK, with others, has promoted the inestimable value of deploying common sense to inform judgment.
• Shifting ‘from a system of risk assessment to a system of risk-benefit assessment’ (context for this quote appears in full below).
• Considering reviewing the Health and Safety at Work etc Act ‘to separate out play and leisure from workplace contexts’.

Please circulate this eNewsletter to others who may be interested. Do contact us if you want to discuss the report and its potential implications. If you are not already subscribed to the PLAYLINK eNewsletter you may care to do so now.

Common Sense, Common Safety: extracts

From the Prime Minister’s foreword to the report:

We simply cannot go on like this. That’s why I asked Lord Young to do this review and put some common sense back into health and safety. And that’s exactly what he has done.

I hope this review can be a turning point. Lord Young has come forward with a wide range of far reaching proposals which this Government fully supports. We’re going to curtail the promotional activities of claims management companies and the compensation culture they help perpetuate. We’re going to end the unnecessary bureaucracy that drains creativity and innovation from our businesses.

And we’re going to put a stop to the senseless rules that get in the way of volunteering, stop adults from helping out with other people’s children and penalise our police and fire services for acts of bravery.

Instead, we’re going to focus regulations where they are most needed; with a new system that is proportionate, not bureaucratic; that treats adults like adults and reinstates some common sense and trust.

Extract from the Executive Summary

My report highlights the role that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities have in promoting a common sense approach to health and safety. Their role is pivotal in ensuring that businesses, schools and voluntary organisations can operate in a way where health and safety is applied in a proportionate manner.
Extract from section on Local authorities

There is some inconsistency across local authorities, and the rules on health and safety are not always applied with a view to a proper risk management approach. In some instances it is clear that officials are giving poor advice to organisations and individuals, who are in turn prevented from running an event (for example a school fete) when there is no legitimate reason not to on health and safety grounds. However, there is no requirement to put these reasons in writing and the specific grounds for the decision are often not made transparent.

There is also currently no system for appeal or redress when an event is banned or curtailed ‘for health and safety reasons’. They are simply required to accept the decision and not go ahead with the event as planned. They could also be discouraged from even planning such an event for fear or expectation that a local authority official will not allow it.

I would like to see the Government put a system in place whereby individuals have the right to ask local authority officials who ban events on health and safety grounds to put their reasons in writing.

Extract from section on Adventure training

I would recommend that we abolish the licensing of adventurous activities through the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority and instead introduce a code of practice that the HSE will oversee and monitor. The HSE should also ensure that those planning trips can feel confident that a provider is compliant with the code. Since this is a devolved issue, I will work with the devolved administrations on taking forward this initiative in Scotland and Wales.Extract from section on Educational visits

There have been a number of cases where schools have prevented pupils from taking part in educational visits citing health and safety as the reason for non-participation.

The process for taking children on educational visits involves a huge amount of form-filling – ranging from consent forms to risk assessments… This process can involve excessive bureaucracy that is not proportionate to the role it plays in reducing the risk of accidents. It merely serves as a deterrent and an excuse to ‘do nothing’.

As a consequence, children are potentially missing out on vital education because schools just do not have the time and resource to carry out the process and, if they do, they are too concerned about the threat of legal action should an accident happen.

We should simplify the process that schools and similar organisations undertake before taking children on trips. We should introduce a single consent form, signed by a parent or guardian, which covers all activities a child may undertake during their time at a school, enabling parents to opt out of any specific activities. Consent is already not required for activities which take place during the school day and in order to reduce the amount of bureaucracy around school trips we should underline this message to schools and local authorities.

Finally, we should introduce a simplified risk assessment for classrooms which could be made available on the HSE website. The website could also provide checklists for areas in which a fuller risk assessment is required, such as sports facilities, laboratories and workshops.

Extract from section on Children’s play areas

A further area of concern is the impact of health and safety on children’s play areas. In legal terms, play provision is guided by the Health and Safety at Work etc Act. There is a widely held belief within the play sector that misinterpretations of the Act are leading to the creation of uninspiring play spaces that do not enable children to experience risk. Such play is vital for a child’s development and should not be sacrificed to the cause of overzealous and disproportionate risk assessments.

This is a further example of how legislation primarily conceived to be applied in a hazardous environment is being brought into an environment for which it is unsuited with damaging consequences.

I believe that with regard to children’s play we should shift from a system of risk assessment to a system of risk–benefit assessment, where potential positive impacts are weighed against potential risk. These ideas inform the play programme developed by the Department for Education and Department for Culture, Media and Sport and I would like to see them developed more widely. Furthermore we should consider reviewing the Health and Safety at Work etc Act to separate out play and leisure from workplace contexts.

Risk-benefit links

http://www.playlink.org/pubs/Risk-bformWeb15.12.09.pdf

http://www.playlink.org/services/risk_and_play/risk_assessment_workshop.html

About PLAYLINK

http://www.playlink.org/What-is-it

We would appreciate your help in disseminating information about PLAYLINK’s work.

If you care to, please:

1. Send this notice to individuals and organisations offering them the opportunity to join the PLAYLINK/Freeplay Network emailing list. This will help keep them informed about events and developments.
2. If you are signing on for the first time, click the link below to record your contact details.

To send your details, go to: our subscription page.

Tel: 0207 720 2452 – Web: http://playlink.org/ – Email: info@playlink.org
Content copyright (c) PLAYLINK 2006 unless otherwise stated

Please Note: This survey is completely different and separate to the survey you may have received recently regarding the National Governing Body for Forest School in the UK.

Click on the downward pointing arrow in the orange bar below to access the link to the survey; it should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.

More Details ...

In order that FCW can prioritise their delivery and develop, with others, ways to fill gaps in provision and also highlight training opportunities within those areas they first need to understand where these gaps are, the barriers to training, delivery and the benefits of such.

We would be very grateful if you could follow the link below to complete the survey, giving as much information as possible in order that we can build a complete picture of Forest School in Wales.

Please click here to take you to the survey: http://tinyurl.com/FSleadersE

Please note that any comments that you make will be confidential and that the information that you provide will only be used by Forestry Commission Wales and Wavehill for the purpose of this research. It is also protected under the Data Protection Act and your details will NOT be passed on to a third party.

As a thank you for taking part in our survey, you will automatically be entered into a prize draw and you could win £100 to spend on Forest School Equipment or to donate to a charity of your choice.

Please feel free to contact us you have any problems, comments or queries about the questionnaire

Freephone: 0800 917 5429

Email: hannah.thomas@wavehill.com

Website: www.wavehill.com

If there is anyone else you know who we could contact to take part in this review please either call us on the free phone number 0800 917 5249 or email us the contact name and number of the person you have identified or just forward this link onto them.

Follow this link to download a summary of the Forest School Home Education Project in the Dyfi Valley in mid-Wales in 2009.

The full report is available for members of Forest School Wales to download from the Other Resources / Advice and Questions / Home Education and Forest School section of this website.

The Report is based on 16 Forest School Learning Pathways Link Courses, delivered between 2006-2009, including seven year-long programmes and involving over 100 KS4 pupils from 4 high schools and 2 special schools.

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In addition to developing Key Skills, 57 pupils gained a Forest School OCN level 1, 10 gained an OCN Entry level, and 35 gained their John Muir Discovery Award. Two programmes were tailored specifically around ASDAN challenges.

The Forest School programmes attracted high levels of support from families, Educational Social Workers and other key Local Authority officers, and additional benefits included opportunities for work experience.

Download the full Project Report by following the link below, including recommendations and 16 detailed Case Studies. Additional Guidance Notes are available for members of Forest School Wales.

Forest School & 14-19 Learning Pathways in Denbighshire, 2006-2009, Project Report Sept 2010

The following Guidance Notes are available for members of Forest School Wales to download from Other Resources: Advice and Questions: 14-19 Learning Pathways:

14-19 Learning Pathways ~ Guidance Notes for FS practitioners

ASDAN ~ Guidance Notes for FS practitioners

The John Muir Award~ Guidance Notes for FS practitioners

Open College Network (OCN) ~ Guidance Notes for FS practitioners

In the meantime, the deadline for the survey has been extended to September 30th so there is still time to ensure that the voices of Welsh FS practitioners are heard at this stage. Please see post below for information and a link to the survey.

Please do continue to share your comments with FSW to enable us to gauge your opinions on this matter. Many thanks to those who have already done this. Comments received so far include:

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“The very fact that FSW is able to voice these points…. underscores the necessity of such an independent voice as yours.  So thank you for making the issues clear.  It’s certainly inspired me to fill in the survey”.

“So much energy, dynamism, insight and sheer hard work has gone into the development of Forest School opportunity and provision in Wales which is unique both geophysically and culturally. I have always valued what I consider to be the authentic community of people with a passion for what this amazing practice has to offer. I would hate to see this swallowed into a larger bureaucratic body”.

Re: Forming a National Governing Body for Forest School in the UK

Survey circulated by the IOL (Institute for Outdoor Learning) Forest School Special Interest Group (SIG) and the (English) Forest School Trainers Network.

Whilst Trustees fully support the need for national networks to be established in England where Forest School provision is less developed than in Wales, we do however have serious concerns about the above initiative, amongst other things about the proposal for a UK wide body. We have outlined some of these concerns below.

Read more by clicking on grey downward pointing arrow below…

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Dear Members

The Trustees of YGC/FSW feel that this process has been initiated from within England, where FS is considerably less developed than in Wales and where the devolved nature of education, the Forestry Commission and other processes in Wales may not be fully understood.

In Wales we already have several national bodies which together have been instrumental in shaping the development of FS for many years:

• Forest School Wales, an independent grassroots membership organisation, has for 10 years now provided FS Practitioners with advice, support, networking, opportunities for training, and representation at regional at national levels.
• The Forest Education Initiative supports a network of active cluster groups which, together with the Forestry Commission Wales education team, all support the development and delivery of Forest School.

As a result, provision for Forest School is more cohesive within Wales than in England, and also more rooted in the experiences of Forest School practitioners.

The importance of Forest School is widely recognised by the Welsh Assembly Government which has structures in place by which it can communicate with national Forest School bodies. Wales has its own FS Training Network (from which the English one evolved) which works closely with the other national bodies (FSW, FEI and FCW). The Wales Forest School Training Network has a very strong working relationship with Agored Cymru (the Welsh Awarding Body): OCN units are only released to members of the Training Network, which helps to provide quality control of training.

By contrast, in England there is a fragmented network of clusters and local groups. Opportunities for networking and skillshare are lacking (according to our growing English membership). Rather than reflecting the needs of practitioners, the development of FS appears driven by training providers. In England, FS units are widely available, partly because there are many OCN regions, and partly because people who are not members of any Training Network are also able to write new slightly different units.

We feel that the NGB initiative doesn’t take into account what has been achieved in Wales, and by the established Forest School communities in Scotland and Northern Ireland. We also feel that the survey fails to address the complexities of setting up and running a national governing body for FS in the UK.

We note that the Welsh Forest School Training Network does not feel there is a need for a National Governing Body at present, and we agree with their concerns about the independence and impartiality of the survey and NGB initiative.

We feel that discussions about a UK wide Governing Body are misguided, and would counsel that England should develop its own national membership and training organisations which could engage in this debate alongside the long established Welsh bodies.

As Trustees we are seeking to initiate a wider debate amongst our members about the NGB initiative.

Please take a few minutes to complete the NGB survey, before September 2010, and ensure that the voices of Welsh FS practitioners are heard at this stage. There is plenty of room for extra comments. If you would like to share your comments with FSW, please copy them to info@forestschoolwales.org.uk . This will enable us to gauge your opinions on this matter, so that FSW can continue to bring the views of Welsh practitioners to this debate.

Please follow the link below to complete the survey:

www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZVVZ3RT

There are 9 questions and it should only take 10 minutes to complete.

Kind regards,

The Board of Trustees.

Many thanks to everyone who helped to make the event such a success, especially all the children, for keeping us grounded, and:

• Melissa Harvey of Dyfi Woodlands for sharing some of the children’s activities from the Centre for Alternative Technology including helping us to build an eco-village
• Tess Jenkins, from the Forestry Stewardship Council, who taught us their new Moving Carbon game
• Hazel Wildwood for leading sessions on making a solar oven and growing & caring for young trees
• Kevin of www.firewok.co.uk for donating a firewok for the members’ raffle

Participants agreed to adopt Climate Change as the focus for our next regional skillshare events, and we have started to fundraise accordingly. All members are welcome to get involved, whether in developing the web-based resources, research and piloting projects, or hosting an event. To find out more, please contact Sarah Wilson bodfari_fs@yahoo.co.uk or tel: 07917210589.

Cefn Wood, Llandrindod

Feedback from National Networks and Election of new trustees
New Insurance Packages for FS Practitoners including groups, trainees and volunteers
Come along and make sure we get the deal you want!
The AGM will take place at the National Skillshare &and Networking Event, (see below for details)

Scott Blytt-Jordens of Dragonfly Creations has been a most inspiring and supportive trainer to all participants. The success of all the events has been down to his clear, calm manner of teacher which empowered participants at each stage of their learning.

We would like to thank the voluntary support from the following individuals who ensured participants were supported and fed and that the children had a great time too! :

Sarah Wilson, Rosie Barker, Louise Gladwyn, Mel Chandler, Ross Blytt-Jordens, Catherine Dancyger , Maggie Fearn, Sasha North , Jessica Wallington, Colin Titley, James Kendle, Adam Thorogood, Melissa Harvey and Dai Morris

Step-by-step instructions of how to create some of the projects that were on offer will be available in our members section soon. Participants are now delivering their wood craft sessions across Wales and their feedback from these sessions will also be made available in our member’s section in November.

Scott is available for further training at his workshop on the Gower, or alternatively, Scott can visit your neck of the woods. See Dragonfly Creations

We would also like to thank the following venue providers for their hospitality and use of their beautiful sites:

• Jeanette and Robin Mitchell of Gweryd Lakes, Denbighshire
• Annie Thompson of Cefn Wood, Llandidrod Wells
• Rex and Alaea Beynon of Seren Retreat, Gower
• Ian of Cornel Scouts Centre, on the shores of Llyn Crafnant
• Joan Carlisle of Penquoit Centre, Pembrokeshire

See our links page for their website information and contact details.

Many thanks to Kirsten Manley who co-ordinated the events and created the resources which were edited by Scott.

Fun was had by all and we would like to thank Scott for providing excellent and supportive training, whilst still maintaining a great sense of humour!

Ride ‘em shave horses! Cefn Woods, June 2009″

Funded by:

Ernest Cook Trust

Forestry Commission Wales

Environment Wales