Level 3 Forest Schools Practitioner Qualification
Little Acorns Forest Schools Ltd run the ITC First Level 3 Forest Schools Practitioner qualification.
The practical course begins with five days of on‑site training, offering an intensive immersion into Forest School ethos, principles, and delivery across a range of age groups. You’ll develop practical skills including safe use of hand tools, shelter building, fire lighting, outdoor cooking, and you will be shown how to plan a wide range of activities you can later embed into your own programme. This initial training also explores the educational benefits of Forest School, alongside how to create policies, procedures, and risk assessments that support a fully integrated outdoor learning approach.
Once the initial 5 days on-site training is done, you will need to start work on your portfolio, this is a significant amount of self study time, we recommend little and often when it comes to this, and certain modules have to be completed by certain dates set by your trainer. Please note that the portfolio has to be completed prior to the Development Course and signed off to be qualified.
You will then complete a 2.5‑day Outdoor First Aid / Paediatric First Aid qualification, designed specifically for those working in the outdoor industry. This practical, fully outdoor course covers essential first aid skills, casualty care while awaiting emergency services, life threatening bleeds, pelvic injuries, and other advanced considerations for remote or woodland settings. There are no PowerPoints — just hands‑on, scenario‑based learning to build real confidence and competence.
Alongside this, you will complete our Level 2 Outdoor Food Hygiene course. Blending simple, accessible theory with practical demonstrations, it teaches you how to prepare, cook, and handle food safely outdoors. You’ll learn how to manage hygiene challenges in changing weather conditions, store food correctly, and cook safely for groups. This is a hands‑on course involving campfire cooking, with all food and hot drinks provided. Allergies and intolerances are always taken into account.
Around the halfway point, you’ll attend a Practical Skills Refresher Day — a relaxed, hands-on opportunity for you to revisit core skills. Spend the day in the woods refreshing tool use, fire skills, ropes and tarps, exploring new activity ideas, and reconnecting with fellow practitioners. It’s a supportive, inspiring day designed to rebuild confidence and spark creativity.
Once you have delivered your own Forest School programme (without tools or fire) in your setting and submitted your completed portfolio for marking, you will attend the four‑day Development Course. Here, you will be formally assessed on your practical skills and your ability to deliver Forest School sessions using the ethos and methods taught throughout your training. On successful completion — and following internal and external moderation — you will receive your Level 3 Forest School Leader qualification by post.
The full process can take up to 12 months, depending on your pace and circumstances.
Locations:
Initial Training Week, Practical Skills Refresher Day & Development Week is at our Longhedge Lane Site, Longhedge Lane, Burton-on-Trent, DE13 9QR
Level 3 Outdoor First Aid & Paediatric First Aid & Level 2 Outdoor Food Hygiene is at our Seales Hollow Site, Park Farm, Acresford Road, Overseal, Swadlincote, DE12 6HY
Timings for our training:
Initial 5 days training – 9:15am – 17:15pm
Practical Skills Refresher Day – 9:15am – 17:15pm
4 Day Development Week – 9:15am – 17:15pm
Training Dates
2026
Course No. 6 – 24th – 28th August
Course No. 7 – 5th – 9th October
Course No. 8 – 9th – 13th November
2027
Course No. 1 – 25th – 29th January
Course No. 2 – 8th – 12th March
Course No. 3 – 26th – 30th April
Course No. 4 – 14th – 18th June
Course No. 5 – 12th – 16th July
Course No. 6 – 20th – 24th September
Course No. 7 – 15th – 19th November
Modular Training
This is the same training, just this version of the course is over 7 weekends throughout the year starting in January to August. Please note that you must complete all weekends successfully to gain the qualification and also complete the Portfolio between weekends. You will have access to online support throughout your journey and can also access our social media platforms that give more practical assistance. You will not be able to mix and match weekends with weekday training periods without specific permission from Little Acorns Forest Schools Ltd trainers.
Weekend 1 – 16th & 17th January – Module 1 – Introduction/ Ethos
Weekend 2 – 27th & 28th February – Module 2 – Practical Skills
Weekend 3 – 13th & 14th March – Module 3 – Planning / Admin
Weekend 4 – 26th & 27th June – Level 3 Outdoor & Paediatric First Aid at Seales Hollow
Weekend 5 – 10th & 11th July – Level 2 Outdoor Food Hygiene (Sat) / Level 3 Outdoor & Paediatric First Aid remainder (Sun) at Seales Hollow
Weekend 6 – 7th & 8th August – Development Course 1
Weekend 7 – 21st & 22nd August – Development 2
The course fee is £1320 inc VAT, payable before training begins. Learners may progress directly to Level 3 without completing Levels 1 and 2, provided they can demonstrate a solid understanding of Forest School ethos and principles. If possible, we recommend observing or assisting at a local Forest School beforehand or once you have completed your training course to gain valuable insight into real‑world practice.
How to Book
To book your place on this training course, please visit our booking page: https://bookwhen.com/littleacornsforestschools
What happens next?
Once your booking has been received and confirmed, we will send you payment instructions to secure your place.
For more information, please email us on littleacornsfs@gmail.com.
Please download our Fact File for helpful links to help you on your Forest School Leader journey.
For more information about our awarding organisation, ITC First, including details of the qualification, assessment process and the standards that underpin your Forest School training, please visit https://www.itcfirst.org.uk/qsc/forest-school-qualifications/11
We’ll see you in the woods!
1 review for Level 3 Forest Schools Practitioner Qualification
Marcus Parkes
February 27, 2022 at 9:34 am
Little Acorns Forest School Level 3 Forest School Training.
My nerves at arriving at a new place on my own were quickly dissipated as we were welcomed onto site. After the normal health and safety paperwork we made our way out into the woods. The woods were where Dave came into his own; His passion and expertise were obvious to all present, and he had a fun loving demeaner which brought the whole team together, all while maintaining his professional manner. He was always ready to listen and help where people needed it, and I have never known an instructor to go the extra mile like Dave when it comes to the ever-dreaded portfolio. It was such a reassurance to know that any advice and guidance was only an email away when needed. Dave’s military training shone though on the outdoor first aid part of the course meaning that after the HazMed roleplay, I came away completely confident that I could help if god forbid the worst ever happen.
I have gained many new friends through this training, and we all keep in touch and share our ideas and successes. Forest School training is the first training I have attended in a long time that really delivered and made sense, especially in this iPad fuelled society.
Marcus Parkes