Forest School qualification verification scheme (members only)

Introduction

This scheme has been superseded by the FSA Recognised Forest School provider scheme

The FSA has launched this scheme to verify members’ Forest School qualifications and to list / represent these members on a publicly searchable database / map of qualified Forest School practitioners. This is an extension of the members’ mapping process (available to all members) and is a membership service designed to allow qualified members to promote and market themselves through the FSA. This helps support principle 5 of good Forest School practice ‘Forest School is run by qualified Forest School practitioners who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice’.

Benefits

There are wider benefits to the Forest School community in having a comprehensive and inclusive database of qualified practitioners from right across the country and that represents every qualification and training provider. It allows the public to identify qualified practitioners in their area and for employers to identify suitably qualified people. Not least, a searchable database of this type will help to illustrate the depth and range of qualified Forest School practitioners, which makes it easier for the FSA to promote and represent the Forest School approach.

There are direct professional and marketing benefits to members having their qualifications verified by their professional body. In addition to appearing on the publicly searchable map / database of qualified Forest School practitioners, each verified member will be provided with a unique image that they can use with their work including on promotional materials and websites (the Qualified Forest School Practitioner badge).

Each badge will contain a unique web address that identifies the members’ specific profile page on the database. Members can use this same address to link directly to their profile page from their own website, or the website of their employer (your employer must not continue to use this link if your employment with them ends).

How to have your Forest School qualification verified by the FSA

1. Submit the e-form to first get on the members map and database.
2. Ensure that you complete all the compulsory fields for verification.
3. Send a photocopy of your HIGHEST FS qualification (the highest practitioner level qualification being level 3) to the following address: The Forest School Association, Institute for Outdoor Learning, Warwick Mill Business Centre, Warwick Bridge, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA4 8RR.
4. Your qualification must be from an Ofqual recognised awarding organisation such as OCN or BTEC.
5. The photocopy must be countersigned by another FSA member. This DOES NOT have to be another member on the qualified member database. All FSA members are bound by the code of conduct and not all members hold FS qualifications.
6. The counter signatory must state: ‘I certify that this is a true copy of the qualification awarded to full name’.
7. The statement must be signed and dated and the full name and address of the signatory must be printed.
8. You may be able to identify another FSA member, who can countersign, from the FSA members map or from your local FSA group.
9. Failing that, your training provider can sign EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT A MEMBER OF THE FSA. However, they must also provide their awarding body registration number.
10. If all else fails the FSA will agree to handle the original certificate for a fee that includes the cost of returning the original certificate via the post office ‘signed for’ service. If you do intend sending us the original certificate, and we really don’t want it, but if you do then we recommend sending it to us via the post office ‘signed for’ service. Please include with your original certificate a cheque for £20 made out to ‘Forest School Association‘. If you do not include the cheque, or if the payment does not go through, then we will assume that you do not want the certificate back.
11. Did I mention that we really don’t want to have to handle original certificates? Go on, find another FSA member near you. One of the purposes of the FSA is to encourage networking between practitioners.
12. Once the office has a copy of your counter signed qualification certificate your details on the database will be updated and you will appear on the public facing ‘Qualified Practitioner database’.
13. You will also receive an email with your unique Qualified Forest School Practitioner badge attached.

Terms and conditions

By sending us a copy of your Forest School qualification certificate you are agreeing to the following:

1. The FSA will add you to the public facing ‘Qualified Forest School Practitioner database and all the personal details that you submitted through the e-form to first get on the members map and database will become available to the public to search for.
2. These personal details will be made publicly available on the FSA website for as long as you qualify for inclusion on the database.
3. You will not allow third parties, other than your employer, to use your unique Qualified Forest School Practitioner badge.
4. You must not allow your employer to continue to use your unique Qualified Forest School Practitioner badge if your employment with them ends. The badge remains the property of the FSA.
5. Use of the Forest School Practitioner badge and appearance on the Qualified Practitioner database highlights your association with the FSA. You, and by extension your employer where applicable, must not do anything to bring the FSA into disrepute. All FSA members must follow the code of conduct.
6. You will provide the FSA with original copies of any qualifications or certificates that they may ask to see. You agree that the FSA may ask to see original copies of qualifications and certificates at any time and without needing to give a reason.
7. If it is found, following investigation, that you have breached any of these terms then you could, as an ultimate sanction, be removed from the FSA database of Qualified Forest School Practitioners. In these circumstances, the FSA has the right to remove you permanently from the database or else for a fixed period of time that will be decided by the FSA directors. If serious mal practice is suspected then the FSA reserves the right to suspend your inclusion on the database pending an investigation.
8. If you do not pay your annual FSA membership fees then you will be removed from the FSA database of Qualified Forest School Practitioners and will need to reapply to be re-registered.
9. It is your responsibility to check that information has been correctly uploaded to the database and to inform the FSA of any errors.
10. There may be periods when the database may not be accessible by the public because of maintenance or technical difficulties. You will not hold the FSA liable for any lost earnings due to database ‘down-time’ or technical difficulties.
11. You will inform the FSA of any changes to your details held on the database. The FSA will update these up to three times in a year at no extra charge.