Location: Tismans Common, Horsham, RH12 3BL

Main purpose of the role:  

This is more than a job, this a role for those seeking to make a difference in the lives of young people. We are seeking an experienced Forest Education Lead, with strong relationship building skills, to be positive role models for our young people. You will need to be able to set clear boundaries, be patient and proactive. Every day will be different; you will need to work flexibly to provide a consistent approach to supporting young people to engage and progress within their individual aims and objectives.

Working at a brand new Alternative Provision will mean working as a part of a multi-faceted program. Our program helps young people who can’t attend mainstream schools or find themselves waiting for a placement and in need of a bridge in between. Many young people need bespoke strategies to support them in attending and engaging in education and we provide this tailored approach to all.  

To plan, develop and deliver a high-quality Forest School provision within the Alternative Provision, supporting children and young people who have experienced challenges in mainstream settings. The Forest School Lead will provide nurturing, therapeutic outdoor learning rooted in our values of connection, community and creativity.

Our ethos is Connection, Community, Creativity - Growing Potential Through Relationships, Nature and Nourishment.

Our goal is to support young people who may have experienced a cycle of challenges, including early life trauma or neurodivergence, which has affected their ability to thrive. We do this through a relational, consistent, and nurturing approach, fostering a safe and supportive environment where they can rebuild confidence, develop skills, and achieve their potential.

We remain reflective upon our practice to ensure we are all held accountable for not only safeguarding the young people but for supporting them to achieve their best possible outcomes. 

Responsibilities 

• Plan and deliver engaging forest education sessions tailored to children aged 6 years – 18 years.
• Work alongside the provision manager, instructors, and other team members. 
• Support children, with focus upon the child's voice.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining a forest education environment that is engaging, inspiring, and sparks curiosity about the natural world.
• Maintain risk assessments for sites, tools and outdoor activities.
• Involve children in setting their own goals and ensuring lessons are differentiated to support each individual learner.
• Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to ensure children receive holistic support.
• Transport children to activity centres and supervise activities
• Home visits if children are struggling to attend.
• Prepare lunches
• Support the delivery of activities during structured sessions
• Demonstrate consistently positive attitudes, values and act as a positive role model for children
• Support children in making progress in their vocational activities
• Plan the delivery of structured activities
• Support and supervise family contact time
• Complete write ups (trackers, admin, safeguarding etc)
• Communication with all stakeholders - schools, parents, SEN officers and Local Authorities

Person Specification

• Level 3 Forest School qualification (or willingness to work towards).
• Outdoor/paediatric first aid certificate.

Knowledge & Experience  

• Experience working with children with diverse needs.
• Experience delivering Forest School or outdoor learning sessions.
• Understanding of trauma-informed and relational practice.
• Understanding of appropriate strategies for managing children’s behaviour 
• Strong communication and organisational skills.
• Ability to work therapeutically while maintaining safe boundaries.
• Ability to plan and facilitate creative outdoor activities.

Skills & Abilities

• A highly motivated, energetic and enthusiastic person who is approachable and promotes positive relationships and has high expectations.
• Able to reflect on practice and aim to improve when necessary.
• Provide a therapeutic environment for the young people but hold firm boundaries.
• Able to facilitate a range of indoor and outdoor learning activities .
• A proven track record as an excellent, creative delivery which motivates children. 
• Able to relate well to children and share their interests and enthusiasms.  
• Good administrative and organisational skills .
• Able to communicate orally and in writing to a wide range of audiences .
• Working knowledge of ICT and administrative purposes.
• Commitment to providing an effective learning environment appropriate to the need and abilities of all children. 
• Commitment to the development and maintenance of positive partnerships between stakeholders.
• Recent participation in professional development activities and willingness to undertake other training.  

The successful candidate will be a confident individual with excellent communication skills and a sense of fun; resilience is also essential. 

Safeguarding 

The successful candidate is committed to child protection and promoting the welfare of young people. We expect all staff to share the same passion and commitment as our mission statement reiterates, supporting the potential to achieve.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and the successful applicant will be required to apply for an enhanced DBS certificate. As the post will involve regulated activity with children, it is a criminal offence to apply for this post if you are included on the children’s barred list held by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013, 2020 and 2023) provide that certain convictions and cautions are “protected”. These are not subject to disclosure to employers and cannot be taken into account. Guidance and criteria on the filtering of these cautions and convictions can be found on the Ministry or Justice website or see here Unlock - Filtering Guidance. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide details of all unspent convictions and those that would not be filtered, prior to the date of the interview. You may be asked for further information about your criminal history during the recruitment process. If your application is successful, this self-disclosure information will be checked against information from the Disclosure and Barring Service before your appointment is confirmed.

We will only accept fully completed application forms via MyNewTerm.

It should be noted that the above list of principal duties is not necessarily a complete statement of the final duties of the post.  It is intended to give an overall view of the position and should be taken as guidance only.