In this reflective and candid episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Gemma revisit the early days of their Forest School journey, asking: “What would we tell ourselves at the beginning?” From the stress of over-planning to the pressure of doing everything “right,” they explore the common mistakes and learning curves that new leaders face. They speak openly about trusting the environment, letting go of control, and building a practice rooted in authenticity rather than performance. Discussion turns to saying “no” in business, drawing clearer boundaries between Forest School and outdoor education, and finding personal style within the pedagogy – like weaving storytelling into sessions or avoiding tool use until confidence grows. The pair also reflect on professionalism, perception, gender dynamics in early years work, and the identity shift from teacher to self-employed facilitator. The episode finishes with a playful “Desert Island” question and a lively debate on who they'd pick to survive with. A must-listen for new and seasoned Forest School leaders alike, packed with grounded insight, honesty, and a lot of laughter.

⏱ Chapter Timings:
00:00 – Welcome and what's this dead tree doing here?
00:40 – What we’d tell our past selves as new Forest School leaders
02:09 – Listening to the environment (and our earlier missteps)
03:50 – School sites and seasonal awareness
04:52 – Overplanning, play, and letting go
06:15 – Trusting children vs controlling sessions
07:39 – Business advice: saying no, finding your niche
09:51 – Finding your own flavour: story, tools, and session identity
11:24 – Adult confidence and energy in sessions
12:37 – Professional identity and expectations
14:50 – Appearance, gender, and perception in early years settings
16:04 – Thought experiment: desert island survival picks
20:28 – Outro and how to stay in touch

🌱 Keywords: Forest School advice, Forest School reflection, new leaders, outdoor learning, child-led play, school-based Forest School, Forest School business, storytelling, professional identity, authenticity in education, gender in early years, leadership, risk and play, session planning

🔖 Hashtags:
#ForestSchool #OutdoorEducation #ChildLedLearning #NaturePlay #ForestSchoolLeadership #ReflectivePractice #EarlyYears #StorytellingInNature #ForestSchoolTraining #PlayBasedLearning

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Have a question or a topic you’d love us to unpack on a future episode? Email us at [email protected]

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www.theforestschoolpodcast.com
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