Releasing Potential Forest School Award

The Forest School Award Scheme is designed for practitioners working with children from the age of 4 – 11 with three levels of learning. Qualified Level 3 practitioners are able to provide and award this scheme. This scheme is ideal for those working with groups of mixed abilities and ages or those working with the same children over a number of weeks, months, years.

There are 21 Forest School badges to collect, delivered at the three levels:

Green – Sapling

The Forest School green badge is the sapling badge.

This is for children with no experience of the natural environment who are new to Forest School activities.

Sapling badges can be earned over a minimum of two sessions in the outdoors.

Orange – Growing

The Forest School orange badge is the growing badge.

This is for children who have already gained their sapling badge in a skill, or who already have sufficient experience in the skill.

We recommend that children take a minimum of two sessiosn to earn this award, but this will depend on the skill.

Blue – Mature

The Forest School blue badge is the mature badge.

This is for children who have lareday gained their sapling and/or growing badges in a skill.

To earn this award childen must show maturity and confidence in thier knowledge and application in this skill.

Using our specially developed schemes of work and skills criteria, Forest School leaders and practitioners can guide children and help them to progress and gain badges in a range of skills including:

Cooking skills
Craft skills
Den building skills
Fire skills
Environmental skills
Tool skills
Nature observation

Forest Explorers Forest School Award Passport

Each participant in the Forest School Award can be provided with a passport that can be used to record their progress. The passport allows the children to see what they have achieved and what exciting new activities they will be able to participate in in the future.

The material used for the passport is a water-resistant paper which ensures that it endure some of the outdoor elements however we recommend that you keep it safe in a bag when you are having fun in the woods.

The Award Passport

The Forest School Award passport allows participants to track progress towards badges across a number of sessions.

Opportunities to ‘tick off’ skills that contribute towards earning badges can be found across more than one session and progress can be easily recorded.

It is a fun way for all to see what has happened on the journey with Forest School and what might happen next.

Passports fold away to a pocket size and contain a range of helpful safety and contact information.