1. Introduction

1.1 The health and safety of all participants, staff and volunteers is fundamentally important. We aim to provide a safe and secure environment for everyone involved, the Forest School leader is ultimately responsible for this. Through encouraging learners to develop risk management strategies we hope that they will also be able to consider the health and safety impact of their actions on themselves and others.

1.2 The Forest School site is risk assessed and a site check is carried out before every session (please see all risk assessments, pg 20 onwards)

1.3 All activities undertaken at Forest School will be risk assessed and appropriate action will be taken to ensure all risks are managed to an acceptable level.

1.4 The 4 Forest School rules will be stated at the start of each session:

1-no licky, no picky, 2-respect the fire, 3-respect boundaries, 4-respect each other.

2. Staffing and Qualifications

2.1 The Forest School Leader must be a trained Level 3 practitioner.

2.2 The Forest School Leader must be a member of the Forest School Association.

2.3 All regular staff and volunteers must have a current DBS certificate, and must have read the Forest School handbook, paying close attention to the risk assessments.

2.4 The Forest School leader must be trained in Outdoor First Aid and hold a current certificate.

3. Setting and Reviewing

3.1 The Forest School Leader is responsible for writing policies.

3.2 Policies to be reviewed on a yearly basis, unless changes are necessary before that time.

4. Insurance

4.1 The Forest School leader must have Public Liability Insurance.

This insurance covers providing activities for children and adults of all ages and includes general forest school work including camp fires, shelter building, use of hand tools (including knives), tree climbing to 5 metres, use of swings rope swings and play equipment for children up to Primary School age, occasional lopping/coppicing, felling (diameters less than 6”), foraging, low level charcoal making (twigs/tins/cans), green woodworking, gardening sessions including tuition, pond/stream dipping, face painting, birthday parties, overnight camps etc.

4.2 The ratio of adults to learners is a maximum of 1:12 and is 1:6 for 4-8yr olds.

5. Parental Consent

5.1 A consent form must be filled in for all those taking part (see form on pg16).

5.2 Consent for first aid to be administered is essential; if there is an issue with this it will be discussed on an individual basis. Consent for photos to be taken is optional.

6. Lost or missing person action plan

6.1 The Forest School leader will minimise the instances where people may become lost by ensuring all participants are aware of the Forest School boundaries and adequate supervision is always provided, in accordance with good practice for Forest School sessions.

6.2 If it is discovered that a learner is lost or missing the Forest School leader will stop activities and gather all participants together. They will leave the group to be supervised by another adult whilst they immediately begin to search for the missing individual. If the person is not found, the leader will call the learner’s emergency contact and if necessary, they will then contact the police and make a formal missing person report.

7. Emergency and Serious Incident Plan

7.1 The Forest School leader will minimise the instances where an emergency or serious incident could occur by ensuring all activities are properly risk assessed and adequate supervision is always provided, in accordance with good practice for Forest School sessions. Correct fire, tool use etc procedures are to be followed and appropriate PPE to be worn whenever necessary.

7.2 The Forest School leader will have a mobile phone and/or walkie talkie with them at every session in the case of an emergency, and if necessary know the location of the nearest landline. Postcode for the emergency services to attend is BA6 9SP.

7.3 As soon as it is evident that a serious incident has occurred, the Forest School leader will stop the activity and implement the Emergency and Serious Incident plan. (see pg18).

7.4 Once the serious incident has been dealt with, the Forest School leader must fill in an Incident/Accident Record Form. (see pg19).

7.5 A copy of the plan is to be laminated and must be present on site during all sessions and made available to all adults involved with helping at Forest School.

8. Administering First Aid

8.1 There must be a first aider trained in Outdoor First Aid at every session, this will be the Forest School Leader, and possibly other helpers/volunteers too.

8.2 The providing and restocking of the first aid kit is the responsibility of the Forest school leader, it must be present at all Forest School sessions.

8.3 The first aid kit will contain: plasters, triangular bandages, gauze, tape, clingfilm, antiseptic cream, bite/sting cream, tweezers, jelly babies.

8.4 The Forest School leader must have current medical information for all learners, detailing any medical issues or allergies and check at the start of each session that learners have any necessary medication with them (e.g. asthma inhaler).

8.5 The Forest School leader must have consent from all learners or their parents/carers to administer appropriate first aid and medicines if needed, including applying sun lotion and sting/bite cream.

8.6 If an accident occurs, the first aider will assess the injury and administer the necessary treatment. If further action is needed, the first aider will remain with the patient and call 999, or if necessary, instruct someone else to make the call.

8.7 The first aider will carry out lifesaving first aid if necessary, and knows the location of the nearest defibrillator.

9. Accident Reporting

9.1 The Forest School leader will minimise the instances where an accident could occur by ensuring all activities are properly risk assessed and adequate supervision is always provided, in accordance with good practice for Forest School. Correct procedures are to be followed at all times and appropriate PPE to be worn whenever necessary.

9.2 Once the accident has been dealt with, the Forest School leader must fill in an Incident/Accident Record Form. (see pg18)

10. Tool and Equipment use

10.1 All activities involving the use of tools will be risk assessed and adequate supervision provided, in accordance with good practice for Forest School. (see pg 20 onwards)

10.2 All tools to be stored in a toolbox, and knives to be stored in a locked box and counted in and out.

10.3 If any tool is found to be missing, the group will be given time to look for it, and for it to be returned anonymously, the leader will explain that the police will have to be called if it is not returned within a given time. If necessary, the leader will call the police before leaving the site.

10.4 All tools will be checked before the start of each session to ensure they are in good safe working order.

10.5 The length of your arm outstretched whilst holding the tool is the measure of the ‘blood bubble’ for that tool. All learners will be instructed that no one should enter the area of your blood bubble when you are using a tool.

10.6 Correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be worn until proficiency has been achieved.

10.7 Procedures and PPE for using the following tools are:

Loppers- 2 handed operation, carry tool by holding around the blades (like scissors).

Pruning saw- Cut proof glove to be worn on helping hand, saw to be folded when being carried.

Peeler- Cut proof glove to be worn on hand holding tool.

Bow saw- Two-person operation, cut proof gloves to be worn on helping hands. Holding the saw with one hand, other arms cross through the arch to hold the wood until the cut is a blade’s depth.

Hand drill- Ensure loose hair/clothing is clear of the mechanism.

Bushcraft knives- Cut proof glove to be worn on helping hand. When whittling, sit with knees together and to one side, elbow rests on knee, moving the blade away from you. Only whittling green wood.

11. Fire

11.1 There will be a main fire pit located on site in a safe and suitable location.

11.2 The fire pit will be sheltered, a clear boundary established around the edge and seating at a safe distance, approximately 1m.

11.3 No items e.g. bags/boxes are to be left within the fire circle (on the floor between the seating area and fire pit boundary) as they are trip hazards.

11.4 The fire safety rules must be followed at all times and learners will be reminded of them every session:

1-Learners are not to walk within the fire circle, they must walk around the outside edge of the seating.

2-next to the fire you must kneel in fire position (kneeling down on one knee, with the other knee out in front, foot flat on the floor).

3-only the person in charge of the fire can put anything on it.

11.5 3 red things must be present anytime the fire is lit: fire gloves, a fire blanket and at least 5L of water in a bucket.

11.6 Only natural materials will be burnt on the fire and no petrochemicals will be used to light it.

11.7 The fire will be extinguished properly at the end of each session and debris spread across the site into the weeds.

11.8 Small practice fires will only be set and lit on bare ground, cleared of leaf litter, with a suitable barrier, and will be extinguished and cleared properly.

11.9 In the case of an out of control fire, the assembly point at the Ring O’ Bells is by the bottom gate, learners will be informed of this at the start of a session.

11.10 Learners will be informed of the location of the fire assembly point at any school site at the start of a session.

12. Toileting

12.1 Children will be reminded to use the toilet before starting a session at a school site.

12.2 If necessary one adult will accompany a group to a toilet in the school building.

12.3 There is a compost toilet at the Ring O’ Bells site.

12.4 If absolutely necessary learners will be allowed to do a ‘wild wee’ on site, with permission only.

12.5 Handwashing facilities will always be available.

12.6 It is the responsibility of the Forest School leader to clean and maintain the toilet at the Ring O’ Bells site.

13. Food Hygiene and Eating

13.1 Healthy eating guidelines are followed, the food prepared is wholesome and nutritious, although occasionally there will be a ‘treat’ provided, especially in wet/cold weather, as an energy and morale boost e.g. marshmallows and hot chocolate.

13.2 It is the responsibility of the Forest school leader to check for learners’ food allergies and intolerances prior to any session (information to be included in consent forms). They will ensure food provided is suitable for all or provide alternatives where necessary.

13.3 The site is nut free.

13.4 Food will be stored safely in lidded boxes.

13.5 Food preparation will be carried out by an adult, learners will be able to assist if they wish with supervision, and basic food hygiene procedure will be followed at all times:

Hands must be washed with soap before preparing food, suitable surfaces must be cleaned and prepared for use, suitable utensils must be used.

13.6 Sometimes food may be prepared off site, and then brought to cook on the campfire.

13.7 All participants must wash their hands with soap before eating.

13.8 Break-time snacks and packed lunches brought by the learners may be eaten. Parents will be asked to only include healthy options for their children, and not include sweets and chocolate.

13.9 Learners will be taught that wild food from the woodland can be consumed but only with proper supervision and guidance, they must not pick and eat anything without supervision (first rule of Forest School, ‘no licky, no picky’).

14. Clothing

14.1 All participants should wear appropriate clothing for the outdoors; in all seasons this must be clothing that can get muddy/dirty, sturdy boots/shoes, long sleeved tops and trousers for greater protection.

14.2 In cold and/or wet weather the following is also needed:

2 Layers of warm clothing, wellington boots, hat, gloves, waterproof coat and waterproof trousers/dungarees.

14.3In hot weather the following is required:

Sun hat and sun cream.

14.4 Parents may need to provide a spare set of clothing for their child in a named bag; they will be informed if this is necessary.

14.5 Every effort will be made to ensure that all children can take part in a session, however, the Forest School leader may decide a child cannot take part in a session if they do not have appropriate clothing and it will be detrimental for their health and safety to take part.

15. Weather

15.1 Forest School will not take place if the weather is deemed dangerous, that is thunder and lightning storms, or extreme wind.

15.2 The Forest School leader will use the Met Office online forecast to make a judgement about the expected conditions and decide if the weather is suitable to run a session outside.

15.3 If a session cannot run outside because of the weather, where possible alternative arrangements will be made to hold a session indoors.

16. Dangerous/Poisonous Plants and Fungi

16.1 All learners will be reminded of the first rule of Forest School at every session, ‘no licky, no picky’, (they are not to pick and eat things they find) and will be shown photographs of any toxic plants/fungi that are present on site.

16.2 Learners will be told that if they do touch or ingest something that they shouldn’t have, that they must immediately tell the Forest School Leader who will assess the situation and take appropriate action.

16.3 Action may be just thorough washing of hands, or in severe cases the Forest School Leader will stop the session, administer necessary first aid and call the emergency services.

16.4 It is likely that learners will encounter stinging nettles and brambles whilst on site. The Forest School Leader will use the site risk assessment and daily site check to assess whether these plants pose a significant risk, such as a bramble overhanging a ride at eye-level and needs to be cleared, or if it is acceptable to just make learners aware of their presence. Learners will be reminded that nettles will sting and leave itchy bumps, (they will be shown how to safely touch nettle leaves if they wish), and that bramble thorns are sharp and will scratch. If a learner is stung, antihistamine cream can be applied by a first aider if desired, and scratches can be cleaned and covered with plasters if necessary.

17. Biting/Stinging Insects

17.1 Ticks are present in the area; an information card will be given to learners or their parents as appropriate, detailing what to do if a tick is discovered after taking part in a session.

17.2 If a tick is found during a session, the first aider will carry out the correct procedure to remove the tick safely.

17.3 Learners will be asked to wear appropriate long-sleeved tops and full-length trousers to minimise exposed flesh. This may be difficult on very hot summer days, and if it is agreed that learners can wear t-shirts and shorts, they will be reminded to check for ticks after the session.

17.4 Mosquito bites, bee and wasp stings may also occur, and they will be treated as necessary with the appropriate antihistamine cream by the first aider.

17.5 Bites/stings will be reported to parents/carers at the end of a session.

18. Dogs and Unwanted Guests

18.1 Dogs will only be allowed on site with the express permission of the Forest School Leader and landowner.

18.2 If allowed on site, they are the responsibility of their owner and will be expected to behave in an acceptable way. If a dog is behaving in an aggressive manner towards a learner, their owner will be asked to take them off site.

18.3 Unwanted visitors to the site during a session will be politely asked to leave by the Forest School Leader. If they refuse to leave, the leader will explain that the police will be called. If they still refuse to leave, the leader will then call the police.

19. Safe Lifting

19.1 Learners will be told safe procedures for lifting and manual handling; bending from the knees, secure footing, not lifting over their capacity, and to communicate clearly with others if lifting together.

20. Lone Working

20.1 If the Forest School Leader is onsite alone, they will ensure they have contact with a nearby adult by walkie talkie and/or mobile phone.

21. Walking/Driving/Transport

21.1 Learners will be encouraged to reduce carbon emissions by travelling to the site on foot or bike if possible, if this is not, learners and their parents will be encouraged to lift share.

21.2 Parking in the driveway is not permitted, there is some on street parking and there is a car park just a couple of minutes walk away.

21.3 When entering the site from the public footpath through the neighbouring farm, learners will be accompanied by 2 adults and will be given a hi-vis vest to wear. 

1.Staffing Ratios

1.1 The maximum number of learners at a session is 16.

1.2 The minimum number of adults on site is 2

1.3 Ratios of adults to children are as follows:

Pre-schoolers 1:4

4-8 yrs 1:6

8-11 yrs 1:12

2. DBS checks

2.1 All permanent staff must hold a current enhanced DBS check.

2.2 Anyone who has unsupervised contact with the learners must have an enhanced DBS check.

2.3 DBS checks will be reviewed in December every year.

2.4 The Forest School Leader is responsible for reviewing the DBS checks.

3. Use of Photographs and Digital Recording Media

3.1 Children taking part in activities will only be photographed or recorded if parental consent has been given.

3.2 Photos and videos may be used on the Wilderness Warriors website, Facebook page, or Instagram.

4. Visitors and Volunteers

4.1 Visitors and volunteers will only be allowed on site during a session with prior permission from the Forest School Leader.

4.2 Visitors and volunteers will not be left alone with learners during a session.

5. Disclosure: Recording and Reporting

5.1 The Forest School Leader is the Safeguarding Lead, they must have current training  and are responsible for the recording and reporting of safeguarding issues.

5.2 If any learner discloses information that is felt to be a safeguarding issue, the Forest School leader will record as accurately as possible what the learner has said, they will explain to the learner that they cannot promise confidentiality and will have to pass on the information to the appropriate body.

5.3 If a learner discloses information to any other member of staff or volunteer, they must record this and pass it on to the Forest School Leader.

5.4 The Forest School Leader will pass on safeguarding concerns to Somerset County Council’s Safeguarding Children Board, by completing the appropriate Safeguarding Alert form.

5.5 If the Forest School Leader deems that a learner is in immediate danger, they will report their concerns directly to the police and if necessary, will keep the learner safe on site until the police arrive.

1. Inclusion and Access

1.1 No learner will be discriminated against for any reason such as, race, religion, home language, family background, gender, disability and/or special educational needs.

1.2 If learners with special educational needs require additional resources these will be provided as necessary so that all learners can participate.

1.3 If learners with disabilities require additional resources these will be provided as necessary so that all learners can participate.

1.4 A site will be made as accessible for wheelchairs as much as possible; base camp will always be accessible for all.

2. Behaviour Management

2.1 Learners are expected to abide by the 4th Forest School rule at all times- respect your friends.

2.2 Learners will be encouraged to try and resolve their problems peacefully, without adult intervention.

2.3 If learners cannot resolve their issues without help, the Forest School Leader will help them to talk through the problem.

2.4 If a learner behaves in a way that is unacceptable, the Forest School leader will speak to them, and explain what’s going to happen if they continue.

2.5 If they continue with the behaviour, they will be told to take a time-out. At the end of the time-out, the Forest School Leader will discuss what happened with the person and then re-introduce them to the group.

2.6 The Forest School Leader will discuss any behaviour issues with parents as necessary.

2.7 Bullying of any type will not be tolerated at any session. If any learner is persistently bullying another person and does not respond to any form of help, they will be asked to leave the group.

1. Sustainable Approach to Activities

1.1 At all times we consider the sustainability of the activities that take place during a session and aim to have the most positive impact on the environment as possible.

1.2 Wilderness Warriors strives to protect and nurture its Forest School sites through teaching its learners how to respect and look after flora and fauna and involves them in sustainably managing and developing the site.

2. Impact on site

2.1 Toilet facilities are an environmentally friendly compost loo!

2.2 The permanent fire site will be thoughtfully located to minimise damage to the surrounding flora and fauna.

2.3 The site of any small practice fires around the site will be cleared so that no trace is left, learners will be shown how to do this; depositing fire remains in different areas on the site and covering with leaf litter.

2.4 We recycle and put food scraps in the compost/food waste.

2.5 Wilderness Warriors is dedicated to reducing plastic waste and will strive to minimise its use of single use plastics.

2.6 When learners are collecting plants, we ask them not to pick more than 3 flowers/leaves from any one plant.

2.7 When coppicing/pollarding we will consider the right amount to take from each tree.

2.8 We thank all plants and trees that we take from.

2.9 Any invertebrates that are collected when going on bug hunts or pond dipping will be treated with respect and will be returned to where they were found.

3. Sustainable Purchasing

3.1 We aim to provide locally sourced, palm oil free, organic food for snack and lunch times as much as possible.

3.2 We will aim to buy kit from ethical suppliers, or second-hand.

3.3 For snack and lunch times, reusable crockery and cutlery is used, never disposable.

1. Session Routines

1.1 Before each session the Forest School Leader will carry out a site check, to ensure the site is safe, and will address any issues, e.g. moving fallen deadwood if it is blocking a pathway.

1.2 During a session the Forest School Leader will welcome learners and go over the rules at the start. They will explain what activities are on offer and give a brief outline of the rhythm of the session. As the session progresses, the leader and any other adult helpers will spend time with individuals as necessary, and with the whole group depending on the activities and games taking place.

1.3 At the end of session, the group will gather at base camp and reflect on the session as a group. This will inform planning of future sessions.

2. Key Actions

2.1 The Forest School Leader will check and pack kit prior to each session, including checking and restocking the first aid kit.

2.2 The Forest School Leader will always ensure that there is drinking water available, and a handwashing station for every session.

2.3 The Forest School Leader will make sure there is adequate lighting if needed, especially during darker Winter months.

1. Booking Process

1.1 Learners can book a place at a session by contacting Wilderness Warriors online or by phone.

1.2 Once a learner has booked a place, they will be sent an information sheet, policies and a consent form to complete and return before the session.

1.3 Records of learners and which session/s they attended will be kept for two years.

1.4 All sessions must be paid for in advance by BACS, cash, or cheque.

1.5 Prices for each session may differ, depending on the site being used, the length of the session, whether a snack or a meal is included and the activities on offer.

2. Cancellation

2.1 If a session has to be cancelled in advance, due to extreme bad weather, learners will be able to transfer to another session on a different day, or if this is not suitable, they will be offered a refund.

2.2 If a session has to be stopped because an incident takes place, e.g. a first aid emergency, or a lost person, depending on what point in the session this has occurred, learners will be able to transfer to another session on a different day, or if this is not suitable, they will be offered a refund.

3. Complaints Procedure

3.1 If any learner or parent wishes to make a complaint, in the first instance they are asked to discuss their grievance with the Forest School Leader. The leader will endeavour to address the complaint and resolve the issue to reach an acceptable solution for all involved.

3.2 If after this initial discussion the issue has not been resolved, and the learner or parent wishes to take the matter further by putting the complaint into writing, the leader must fully investigate each complaint.

3.3 The leader must respond in writing if necessary, to the parent who made the complaint and tell them about the complaint outcome within 28 days.

3.4 A written record of complaints must be kept for 3 years, records to include the outcome of the investigation and any actions taken in response.

3.5 To find details of the registration system for the Ofsted Childcare Register please look at:

3.6 To contact Ofsted:

Lisa Jackson

07890264981 / 01458860599  

lisawildwar@gmail.com

www.wildernesswarriors.co.uk