Photo of a man in a forest walking towards an orange tarp hanging in the trees.

Interested in being a forest school leader?

Working in outdoor education is rewarding and enriching work.

Forest school leaders are experts at facilitating learning experiences, supporting participants' holistic development and connection with nature.

Forest & Outdoor Learning Award

We deliver Forest and Outdoor Learning Award (FOLA) training in partnership with Forest School Training Collaborative (FSTC), the approved awarding centre. 

FOLA is the ‘forest school’ qualification designed in Scotland and accredited to the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) in 2018.

  • Level 5

    An introduction award that takes place over three days - great for teachers working towards understanding how forest school can impact their students.

  • Level 6

    An assistant award that takes place over five days - great for anyone already working with other forest school leaders, or teachers whose schools are looking to establish forest school sessions.

  • Level 8

    A leader award that takes place over 10 days - the highest level of training will allow participants to create and deliver forest school sessions for all ages of participants.

Four people in outdoor clothing building a small campfire in a wooded area, arranging sticks and logs within a square of logs.
A group of people in outdoor clothing sitting and kneeling in a forest clearing with wet leaves on the ground, gathered around a small fire with a metal kettle, with some camping gear visible.
Two children in outdoor clothing, a boy wearing a yellow raincoat and a girl wearing a black jacket, are kneeling on the ground in a wooded area. They appear to be chopping wood or performing some activity related to wood in a forest with leaves on the ground, trees, and natural scenery.
Two women in outdoor jackets working in a forest, using tools to cut or prune a young tree.
Group of people sitting and kneeling around a campfire in a forest, with camping gear and trees in the background.

FAQs

Sophie Kyle and Karen Yearsley are running the next Forest & Outdoor Learning Award in Glasgow in September 2026.

Be in touch to find out more, read the current training page for more info, or register for the course here and we’ll be in touch.

  • Sophie Kyle and Karen Yearsley are running a training in Glasgow’s Cathkin Braes starting in August 2026.

  • Level 8 currently costs £1300 with us. Level 6 costs £800, and Level 5 costs £500.

  • The FOLA course includes practical days in woodland and online learning.

    In-person woodland days are currently hosted in locations across Scotland’s central belt, Perthshire, Fife and Angus throughout the seasons.

    There are self-study hours and assessments at each level, which are supported by bespoke videos created by our tutors and hosted on an online learning platform for convenient access.

    There are a series of workbooks to complete your learning, and level 8 students will plan, organise and run eight forest school sessions as part of their assessment.

    • Risk assessing your sites for taking groups outside.

    • Considering fire and how to run safe campfires with participants.

    • Learn and teach safe use of simple hand tools.

    • Practical ideas for supporting creativity with natural materials. 

    • Woodland and greenspace management for sustainability and biodiversity.

    • Supporting participants' holistic development outdoors and in nature.

    • Benefits of nature connection and nature contact.

    • How to meet participants' social, emotional, sensory needs in woodland environments including urban woods and parks.

    • Benefits of creating a community of learning with your sessions.

    • And so much more…

  • If woodland days on your course are delivered monthly and within a six month period, you are likely to complete your certificate within 9 months.

    Often people complete within a year of their first woodland day of training, while working full time in another role. 

  • A teaching, childcare or therapeutic qualification is desirable (but not essential).

  • After completing level 5 and level 6 FOLA you will be able to assist on forest school sessions run by qualified leaders. 

    After completing level 8 FOLA you can run forest school sessions for your school groups, run your own business as a forest school, or start a summer school delivering outdoor learning and nature connection events.

    • Waterproof jacket

    • Waterproof trousers 

    • Warm layers

    • Sturdy shoes, 

    • Pencil and paper 

    • Lunch

    • Anything you use to take notes and pictures.

  • Yes, we run training contracts for councils and these are not advertised on our public pages.

    Details of our procurement profile can be found here.

    Please get in touch to find out what we can offer you by emailing: hello@glasgowforestschool.co.uk

Four women sitting on the ground in a forest with a makeshift shelter made of branches and twigs behind them. The ground is covered with fallen leaves.

Ready to take the next step?

Would you like to take your Forest Outdoor Learning Award but still have some questions?

Get in touch