• Are all FS level 3 qualifications the same?
No. There are different FS qualifications at all levels. They do not all have the same requirements. Some may be more involved than others. The FSA has worked with the GB FS Trainers Network, LANTRA and OCNWMR to put level 1, 2 and 3 FS qualifications up on the National Qualification Credit framework (QCF) (See the OFQUAL Award Register Website and type in the qualification title box Certificate in Forest School Programme Leadership – Results).
Other qualifications may be perfectly satisfactory but these are the ones that we know and support. We invite any and all Awarding Bodies to clone these qualifications AND THE SUPPORTING GUIDANCE NOTES developed when the qualification was approved by OFQUAL and put on the QCF (see here).
• Are all Awarding bodies the same?
No. Different Awarding Bodies offer different qualifications. Many have adopted the FSA supported qualifications BUT only 3 Awarding Bodies (OCNWMR, AptEd, AIM Awards) are specifically supported by the FSA at the moment because they have adopted BOTH the qualifications AND the guidance notes which stipulate certain requirements for trainers to deliver the qualification… keep reading to see why that is important.
• Do you think that a FS trainer should have a level 3 FS qualification themselves?
We think YES, trainers need to know what it is like to go through this qualification. Indeed the Level 3 is seen now as the standard qualification to be able to lead on delivering a Forest School programme.
Unfortunately, not all Awarding bodies require their centres’ FS Trainers to have a level 3 Forest School qualification. This includes some Awarding Bodies that offer the QCF qualification – the ones that have not adopted the guidance notes in full.
• Do you think that a FS trainer should have at least 2 years’ experience of delivering FS themselves?
We think YES, it is important that trainers have experience of delivering FS to a number of different groups in order to offer quality training.
Unfortunately, not all Awarding bodies require their centres’ FS Trainers to have at least 2 years’, post qualification, experience of delivering FS themselves. This includes some Awarding Bodies that offer the QCF qualification – the ones that have not adopted the guidance notes in full.
• Are all FS Trainers the same?
No. Thank goodness! Now it gets tricky. Just because a FS trainer works with a FSA supported Awarding Body it doesn’t mean that the FSA endorses them. The FSA is in the process of developing a FS Trainer Quality Assurance scheme. Only when that is ready can we say which FS Trainers we do or do not endorse. Similarly, just because your trainer works with an Awarding Body that is not specifically supported by the FSA, or you will receive a different qualification, it doesn’t necessarily mean this is not quality training provision. They may well have been delivering quality training long before the FSA came about.
FSA support of certain qualifications and Awarding Bodies is about making sure that certain minimum professional standards are in place for new FS trainers. Outside of this, the FSA is simply not currently in a position to make a judgement about qualifications, Awarding Bodies or Trainers. People seeking a FS Trainer should form their own view and we recommend reading our guidance notes for ‘choosing a FS Trainer’.
Can you give us an update on the progress of the FS Trainer Quality Assurance scheme? Thanks, Sam
NOCN becomes the latest Awarding Body to gain FSA support by adopting the additional requirements, endorsed by the FSA, for Centres and Trainers wishing to deliver Forest School courses in the UK. Four of the nine Awarding Bodies that are offering awards in Forest School qualifications, listed on the QCF, are now supported by the FSA. These are OCNWMR, AptEd, AIM Awards and now NOCN. I anticipate many of the others making the necessary changes to their qualification specifications in the next few months. The FSA endorsed minimum requirements for Forest School Trainers entering the sector are fast becoming the industry standard. This does not imply FSA endorsement of the trainers but it does raise the bar a little higher for initial entry and should contribute to our purpose of encouraging quality Forest School for all.
Hi there, I totally understand where The FSA are going with the training quality assurance and agree with the reasoning but also know that this is a very contentious issue amongst the forest school community and has caused many difficulties and disagreements in the past. The units on the QCF and the guidance notes were a good start and really helpful as is the ‘how to choose a trainer’ information on the website. However I’m not sure why this particular post has been written and launched now as there’s nothing new being said. To quote ‘Outside of this, the FSA is simply not currently in a position to make a judgement about qualifications, Awarding Bodies or Trainers.’ So there isn’t really any news yet. I know it will take time to love forwards on this I just feel it might have been better to let sleeping dogs lie, refer to the sound guidance and information already available until there is something new to add. I rarely poke my head above the parapet so please don’t shoot me down in flames I can just see social media wildfire igniting unnecessarily. For the record I’m not a trainer nor do I plan to be one!
Hello Georgina,
Our main thought in putting this out is providing information. It highlights the issue that fairly inexperienced, and sometimes people without any FS qualifications, are able to set up as FS Trainers because some Awarding Bodies are putting the entry bar too low (in our opinion). We do not think that this is good in terms of encouraging quality FS. This statement helps flag the issue for people thinking of going into FS Training, people choosing a FS Trainer, for the FS community as a whole, and for some of our members who ask what the FSA is doing about this issue (funnily enough I had one of those messages from a member first thing this morning – “You’ve … and not spent enough time on upholding fs values by ensuring quality trainers …”). We have tried to be as clear as we can about the limits of our ability to influence in this regard and are relying on people’s maturity in recognising that it is both a fairly complex area and a work in progress.
BW
Gareth