Who we are

We are Wavy Woods Forest School, and we provide outdoor experiences for young people in all circumstances which foster a love for natural world and reduce stress, whilst building social connections, developing skills and moving in fun ways.

This could look like den building, cooking on a campfire and using tools. Or it could look like bug identification, field studies and pond sample analysis. It could look like making mud slides, nature art and climbing trees. We always have a plan, but ultimately we are led by the interests of our learners.

Our vision is to help protect our incredible planet & reduce the effects of climate change, whilst also combating the effects of modern living on mental & physical health by fostering a love & understanding of nature amongst young people.

A young girl with blonde hair riding on a piece of wood in a lush green forest, standing next to a makeshift teepee made from large sticks and branches.
A woman and two children in a forest. The woman is wearing a brown knit hat and yellow jacket, and smiling at the camera. The boy in the center, wearing a blue jacket, is excited and smiling with an open mouth. The girl on the left, in a light blue jacket, is smiling and holding a small branch or twig. They are surrounded by trees and brown ground covered with pine needles, with a tree trunk on the right.

A Family Business

Hi I’m Roz, the Founder of Wavy Woods Forest & Beach School, and I can’t wait to meet you in the great outdoors!

I’ve worked for over 15 years in the Education industry. Recently as a Senior Manager in a large global education charity. Also as a Learning & Development specialist working to improve International Teaching standards, and having loads of fun as a play-based Teacher for Walt Disney Corporation in China.

Most importantly though, I’m a Mum. Seeing my young children light up… but also calm down… once outdoors (and reading the research that confirmed I wasn’t imagining this!) inspired me to qualify as a Level 3 Forest School Leader and currently as a Coastal School Leader. Time in green spaces is fundamental to our wellbeing, and where better than in the stunning ancient woodlands or beautiful beaches of Northern Ireland.

Our Outdoor Leaders

You’ll find both Roz and Stephen… an Engineer, former youth worker, and now Level 3 Forest School Leader, at most of your Forest & Beach School sessions. As you would expect from an Engineer, Stephen builds the BEST dens. See them to believe them!

We also hire Outdoor Educators/ Teachers, and are always on the look-out for excellent Teachers, Forest School leaders or Outdoor Educators who are passionate about the outdoors & who love working with young people.

If you would like to work with us, please get in touch using the form below, we’d love to hear from you!

The Forest School Ethos

Child led play

We believe that children need to play. Really play without being restricted or instructed.

We present tons of learning opportunities during our sessions, but we also recognise that some phenomenal learning takes place during free play. This means that we will present learners with opportunities for activities, and if that day they prefer to dig in the soil, watch beetles, weave a fence, we’ll let them, adding our knowledge and insights where it’s useful. We know they might be fulfilling a natural curiosity or de-stressing in a healthy way, and as long as it’s safe and we can provide adequate supervision, we’ll embrace it.

This is called a ‘learner-centred pedagogical approach’ for those that want to understand more.

Risk taking

Some activities are inherently riskier than others, e.g. building fires, using tools, climbing trees. We won’t do any risky activities without first evaluating the Risk/ Benefit for your child ie. weighing up their ability and interest vs. the risks within the activity. Of course, we will always take all the necessary precautions to make the activity safe. Forest School should feel exciting but never dangerous.

You can read more these principles, and the other 4 core Forest School principles here.

 

The 6 Principles of Forest School

These are defined by the Forest School Association to help ensure that Forest School is a unique, high-quality approach to outdoor learning, focused on long-term engagement, connection with nature, holistic growth, and safety under skilled leadership

  1. Long-Term, Regular Sessions

  2. Natural Environment

  3. Holistic Development

  4. Supported Risk-Taking

  5. Qualified Practitioners

  6. Learner-Centred Community

Read more about these Forest School Principles here.

Contact us

Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!