Forest School Training: What the Levels Actually Involve (For Grown-Ups, Not Kids)

We get asked about forest school training a lot, usually by two different groups of people. Parents want to know what qualification the leader running their child’s session actually holds. And other adults, often career-changers, want to know how to get into this line of work themselves.

This article is for both of you. But first, a fact we want to get out of the way clearly, because it trips people up constantly.

Children do not have a forest school level

The training levels, 1 through 3, belong to adults. A child cannot be “on Level 2” or “working towards Level 3.” That’s simply not what the qualification is.

We say this because parents sometimes ask us what level their child is at, assuming it works like a swimming badge system. It doesn’t. Your child attends sessions. The adult leading those sessions holds a level. Two entirely separate things.

What each level actually covers

Here’s the breakdown, in plain terms rather than awarding-body language:

• Level 1 is aimed at adults doing forest-school-related tasks, like volunteering or managing forest school leaders – people who need an idea about what it is all about. It’s also suitable for anyone simply curious about the approach. It’s an introduction, not a licence to run anything.
• Level 2 is Forest School Assistant. It’s rarely taken as a standalone step in our experience, and most people who want to lead sessions skip past it towards Level 3. However, it’s there if you want to take a proactive role in helping a Level 3 practitioner plan and deliver their sessions.
• Level 3 is the one that matters if you actually want to lead sessions with children. It qualifies an adult to plan and deliver forest school sessions.

So if you’re vetting a school or club for your child, the only question worth asking is whether the leader holds Level 3, alongside a current DBS check. Level 1 or 2 alone doesn’t qualify someone to run sessions. Having said that there is nothing to stop anyone from running outdoor education and calling it ‘forest school’ without any qualifications.

Why the numbering trips people up

Part of the confusion comes from other qualification systems where higher numbers mean “further along the same path a child is on,” like reading levels or swimming badges.

Forest school levels don’t work that way at all. They’re not a progression a child moves through under a leader’s guidance. They’re a professional qualification structure for the adults doing the guiding, similar in spirit to how a driving instructor holds a qualification the learner driver doesn’t need to hold themselves.

What Level 3 training is actually like

We won’t pretend to teach you the course here. Plenty of training providers do that properly.

What we can tell you is what it produces: a leader who can risk-assess a woodland site, plan sessions around child development rather than just activities, handle tools and fire safely with a group, and hold a genuine understanding of why forest school works the way it does, not just how to run the activities.

It’s a proper qualification, usually taken over several months, combining practical outdoor days with written coursework and a portfolio. Assessors typically want to see evidence of real sessions delivered, not just theoretical knowledge, so most courses build in supervised practice alongside a mentor.

How long it takes and what it costs

Timescales and costs vary between training providers, so it’s worth getting a direct quote rather than relying on a single figure. As a general shape though, most Level 3 courses run across several months because you should expect to spend 180 hours working on it, because the portfolio evidence needs to be gathered across multiple real sessions with a group over time.

Costs typically cover tuition, assessment, and sometimes a first aid qualification bundled in, since a valid outdoor first aid certificate is usually a prerequisite for practising once qualified.

If you’re thinking about training yourself

A few things we’d want to know before starting, from people who’ve been through it:

• It’s physical and outdoors in all weather, including the training itself, so it suits people who genuinely enjoy being outside regardless of conditions. You will get wet!
• The portfolio and written elements take real time alongside the practical days, so it’s not a purely hands-on course.
• Level 3 alone gets you qualified to lead, but running an actual forest school business on top of that is a separate skill set, involving insurance, site access, and marketing.
• A paediatric first aid certificate and a DBS check are separate requirements you’ll need alongside the qualification itself, not included automatically.

If that still sounds appealing, look for a training provider accredited by a recognised awarding body, and ask to speak to someone who’s recently completed the course before you commit.

If you’re a parent trying to check credentials

You’re well within your rights to ask a forest school or club directly what level their leaders hold and whether their DBS checks are current. A properly run setting will have this information ready without any awkwardness.

If a provider seems reluctant to answer, or vague about who exactly is leading the session, that’s worth treating as a warning sign rather than an oversight.

Qualifications that often pair with Level 3

Level 3 forest school training is the core qualification, but most practising leaders hold a handful of others alongside it, because leading sessions safely draws on more than one skill set.

Common ones you’ll see alongside Level 3:

• A paediatric or outdoor-specific first aid certificate, renewed every three years
• A current DBS check, renewed periodically depending on the employer’s policy
• Food hygiene certification, if the setting cooks over an open fire with the group
• Safeguarding training, often required by schools before a provider can work with pupils

None of these replace Level 3. They sit alongside it, and a genuinely well-run provider will hold the full set, not just the headline qualification.

A few common questions

Can you do Level 3 without doing Level 1 or 2 first? Yes. The levels aren’t strictly sequential prerequisites. Many people go straight for Level 3 if that’s the qualification they actually need (I did), though some training providers recommend Level 2 first if you’re aiming for a management-heavy role rather than direct session leadership.

Does Level 3 expire? The qualification itself doesn’t expire, but the DBS check and first aid certificate that go alongside it do need periodic renewal, and most reputable practitioners keep up with continuing professional development regardless.

Can a Level 3 leader run sessions alone? Ratios depend on group size, age, and the specific activities planned, but a single Level 3 leader is often paired with an assistant, particularly for larger or younger groups, rather than working completely solo. Or you might be working in school grounds with a TA in the group with you, or available not far away.

Training is the unglamorous end of forest school, the paperwork and portfolios behind the mud and dens. But it’s the reason the risks children take in a good session are supported risks, rather than just risks.