About Forest Schools Education
Join thousands who've already started their Forest School journey
Forest Schools Education is a UK training organisation that trains and qualifies Forest Schools leaders worldwide. Founded by Sarah Blackwell in 2000, it is the home of the Archimedes Forest Schools Model and offers a complete pathway, from a Level 1 foundation to the Open Awards accredited Level 3 Leader award and the Level 4 Trainers Award.
New to the approach itself? Start with What is Forest School? for the principles and the philosophy. This page is about who we are and how the training works.
Forest Schools Education was founded in September 2000, originally under the name Archimedes Training, and registered as a company in 2001. From the start, the aim was a better, more natural way to support how people learn.
Today it is the home of the Archimedes Forest Schools Model, the framework the training is built on, and qualifies leaders across the UK, internationally and online. Many people know it simply as Forest School.
This page covers who we are, the qualification pathway, and what our accreditation actually means.
The Level 3 Leader award is accredited by Open Awards and Ofqual-regulated, so the standard is independently quality-assured.
Face-to-face training across the UK and internationally, plus a full online route, so you can train wherever you are.
Built on the Archimedes Forest Schools Model, developed and refined over more than two decades.
The qualification pathway
The pathway is designed so you can join at the right point for your experience and progress as far as you want to go.
| Level | What it is | What it lets you do |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Foundation | A pure introduction to the Forest Schools ethos and methodology, for complete beginners | Understand the approach and decide whether to train further |
| Level 2 Assistant | A practical assistant qualification | Work as an assistant to a qualified Level 3 leader and build hands-on experience |
| Level 3 Leader | The flagship qualification, accredited by Open Awards | Plan, run and lead your own Forest Schools programmes independently |
| Level 4 Trainers Award | The qualification for training others, which we are uniquely placed to offer | Train and develop new Forest Schools leaders |
The Level 3 Leader award is the qualification most people are working towards. It is the industry-recognised standard for leading your own Forest Schools sessions, and everything beneath it is built to lead there.
What accreditation means here
The Level 3 Leader award is accredited by Open Awards and is Ofqual-regulated. In practice that means it is quality-assured by an independent awarding body and recognised internationally, rather than being a certificate we issue to ourselves. When a qualification is regulated, the standard behind it can be verified, which is what gives it weight with employers, schools and nurseries.
Why it is not only woodland
Forest Schools is not tied to woodland. The approach adapts to beaches, urban green spaces and the varied landscapes our partners work in, which is why the training travels.
We deliver across the UK and internationally, and online, and have trained thousands of practitioners across five continents. Wherever sessions run, the principles stay the same: regular, long-term, learner-led work in the natural world.
Who leads the training
Sarah Blackwell
Sarah Blackwell founded Forest Schools Education in 2000 and developed the Archimedes Forest Schools Model that the training is built on. She began her career in a residential home for young children and as a childminder, and went on to build the Archimedes group, Forest Schools Kindergarten and a number of nature nurseries alongside the training organisation.
She has trained thousands of Forest Schools leaders across five continents since 2000, and continues to carry out and publish research into the effects of Forest Schools, including its impact on wellbeing, resilience, and communication in children with autism spectrum conditions.
- Author, The Archimedes Forest Schools Model
- Designed the Level 3 & Level 4 awards
- Founder, Forest Schools Kindergarten
- Published researcher
- 25+ years in the field
Questions about training with us
Do I need any experience to start?
No. The Level 1 Foundation is built for complete beginners, with no teaching or outdoor background required.
Can I qualify without travelling to the UK?
Yes. We run face-to-face training internationally and a full online route, so you can train wherever you are in the world.
What makes Forest Schools Education different?
The training is built on the Archimedes Forest Schools Model, developed and refined over more than two decades by the organisation's founder, and led by a team delivering against an internationally recognised, independently accredited standard.
Which qualification do I need to lead my own sessions?
The Level 3 Forest Schools Leader award. Level 1 introduces the approach and Level 2 lets you assist a leader, but Level 3 is the one that qualifies you to plan and lead independently.
Start your Forest Schools training
Whether you are starting at Level 1 or working towards leading your own sessions at Level 3, there is a route that fits. Browse upcoming courses across the UK, internationally and online.
View Upcoming CoursesTrainees often tell us the change is not only in the children. You learn to slow down, to observe more carefully, and to trust the process. We would love to welcome you to one of our programmes.
