Join the FSA as a Recognised Forest School Provider
Introduction
The national FSA Recognised Forest School Provider Scheme has been created as a benchmarking and development tool that sets the minimum professional standard for Forest School provision.
The FSA Recognised FS Provider Scheme is open to new applications from individuals or settings who wish to be recognsied by the FSA as providing Forest School experiences in line with all 6 core Forest School principles. Please refer to the application process below for details of how to apply.
Along with other benefits, membership offers the opportunity to promote your Forest School provision to the public, and Forest School community, via the FSA’s Recognised FS Provider searchable online map and database.
Application Process
- Read the Preamble document
- Review your practice against our quick reference ‘Self-assessment Checklist’ to ensure you meet our benchmarks. Refer to the Application Form for further detail about the benchmarks if you wish.
- If you wish to proceed, scroll down to the online form below to notify us of your intention to apply and make your initial payment
- Await contact from our Development Officer who will attempt to arrange a time for an informal phone or Skype consultation
- Following that chat, complete your Application Form and compile your evidence. You may find it helpful to refer to the online Teachable resource, which offers short video explanations by Nell, for each of the main questions in the application form
- Submit application and evidence via Dropbox, following instructions on the Application Form
If you would like to hear a summary of the scheme, including the benchmarks, please watch the ten minute video above.
As soon as we saw the new FSA Recognised Forest School Provider scheme we knew this was one for us. Forest School is a key part of our ethos and values and we believe it is a vital part of our children’s education and character development. Our children love their weekly morning in the woods and our whole team of staff are fully engaged and committed to this approach and many parents choose us as their child’s school because we offer this.
The process was reasonably straightforward as we already had many of the documents, it was just a pulling-together task and making sure we could cover all the principles. The FSA were very supportive in enabling us to complete the process (thanks Lisa!).
We were delighted to receive the recognition as we feel it emphasises our commitment to Forest School and the hard work of our whole school team. We know that having this recognition will give us something that other schools do not and show that the work we do is acknowledged and validated by a national organisation. It will help us go from strength to strength in this approach and give us even more confidence when we promote what we do and offer support and training to other schools.