Forest School Programme: Delivery Revision — NOCN Vocationally-Related Qualification
Be able to facilitate an ‘Introduction to Forest School Programme’ according to the Forest School ethos and principles.Be able to assess the impact of the ‘Introduction to Forest School Programme’ on participants.Be able to evaluate an ‘Introduction to Forest School Programme’.
Exam Tips
- Ensure your portfolio includes a detailed session plan with clear risk-benefit assessments and links to the Forest School principles to demonstrate integrated understanding.
- Use a reflective diary throughout the programme to capture real-time insights; this will strengthen both your impact assessment and evaluation with authentic evidence.
- When evaluating, structure your report around the six principles, addressing how each was upheld and where improvements can be made.
- Include anonymised participant feedback forms or creative methods (e.g., drawings, voice recordings) as supplementary evidence to support your observations.
Common Mistakes
- Assuming assessment of impact and evaluation are the same process; impact assessment focuses on measuring learner outcomes, whereas evaluation examines the effectiveness of the programme delivery itself.
- Neglecting to link session activities explicitly to the Forest School principles, instead presenting generic outdoor activities without a coherent ethos.
- Overlooking the importance of long-term developmental changes, focusing only on short-term or task-based outcomes.
- Providing subjective accounts without triangulating evidence from multiple sources (e.g., relying solely on own observations without participant voice).
Key Marking Points
- Award credit for clear planning documentation that explicitly links session activities to each of the six Forest School principles.
- Demonstrate effective facilitation by providing observational records that capture participants' engagement, risk-taking, and social interactions during the programme.
- Present a thorough impact assessment using a range of methods (e.g., observations, participant feedback, reflective journals) that measures progress against intended holistic outcomes.
- Produce a critical evaluation report that identifies strengths, areas for improvement, and actionable changes for future delivery, grounded in the Forest School ethos.