Staff members from several Rivers schools are nearly halfway through a 2-year Outdoor Learning Level 5  Apprenticeship.

This unique initiative brings together forest school specialists from different schools, fostering collaboration and enhancing outdoor education within their schools.

This apprenticeship not only provides schools with access to highly qualified forest school practitioners but also empowers forest school leaders with the confidence and inspiration to incorporate outdoor learning into their day-to-day teaching. This translates to safe, valuable, and effective experiences for children in natural settings.

The course equips staff with essential skills for the effective operation and management of a forest school. Additionally, participants learn about wilderness therapeutic approaches and interventions. These approaches aim to improve children’s perseverance, resilience, tolerance, respect for others, behaviour, confidence, tenacity, and desire to explore.

Scott Holdaway said he has witnessed first-hand how being in the outdoor environment has helped children who usually struggle with their social and emotional behaviour in class, to connect positively with others during forest school classes.