The FSA is the professional body and the UK-wide voice for Forest School. We’ve made great strides, but we need YOU to help us do even more. We’re dedicated to fostering a collaborative learning community that sets evolving standards, supports practitioners, and advocates for the value of Forest School. By becoming a trustee for the ..read more

At the Forest School Association (FSA), we listen to our members to understand what matters most to you. Recently, we conducted a survey to hear directly from current members, and also lapsed members and non-members, about their experiences and the value they find in FSA membership. The results have been both affirming and enlightening, and ..read more

Introduction During the 2024 National Forest School Conference, participants engaged in a focus group session to explore the question:“How do you generate the evidence and insights that show the value of your practice to clients, managers, funders, and to yourself?” Ten groups participated in this session, representing approximately 100 Forest school practitioners attending the national ..read more

At the 2024 National Forest School Conference, delegates had the opportunity to engage in a lively and interactive Local Groups meeting. The session aimed to raise the profile of Local Groups as a core aspect of the FSA, encourage more involvement, and provide informal networking and learning opportunities. Participants shared their experiences, insight and ideas ..read more

Morgan Barr, Loughborough University Being a Forest School leader can be isolating, advocating for something you passionately believe in, that outsiders claim to understand but rarely do. Seeing the impact firsthand but explaining how and why it works can be challenging. This is where the symposium is invaluable, bringing together practitioners who are on the ..read more

By Lauren Bourn Autistic learners are often viewed by educational professionals as having complex and diverse support needs. A report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Autism (APPGA, 2017) found that half of autistic young people felt their teachers did not know how to support them, and less than half of teachers felt confident in ..read more

Harriet Menter, Scotswood Garden. Huge apologies to everyone depicted in these doodles. I am no artist and discovered an inability to draw arms. When I drew these I wasn’t planning on sharing them but when Nic asked for contributions for the blog I thought they might offer a different perspective on the conference. Being at ..read more

Hannah Myers, Loughborough University “I’ve only waited twenty years for this” Sara Knight began as she welcomed practitioners and researchers to the first International Forest School Research Symposium. It was a poignant moment, and a long time coming, in recognising the steps taken to bring over 70 delegates together from three different continents to share ..read more

Forest School Forward  By Dr Sara Knight  Horizons Magazine has published two articles by Jon Cree and Mel McCree (1) in the past that cover the origins of Forest School in the UK and its development up to the forming of the Forest School Association (FSA) in 2012.  In 2022 I was asked to follow ..read more

Emotional resilience, the ability to adapt to challenges and bounce back from setbacks, is a crucial aspect of child development that has garnered attention in Forest School research. Dr. Alice Sterling Honig, a renowned developmental psychologist, has studied the emotional benefits of outdoor play extensively. Dr. Honig’s research demonstrates how forest school experiences, with their ..read more