In this loose and laughter-filled episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Gemma begin with caffeine-fuelled chaos (and a new puppy) before diving deep into a side of Forest School that's rarely discussed: regulation, inspection, and the mental load of compliance. Prompted by a recent Ofsted inspection, the duo open up about the emotional labour of maintaining standards, navigating grey areas of registration, and how professional autonomy in the woods can be both empowering and isolating. They explore why paperwork sometimes feels like a punch in the gut, how to balance authenticity with accountability, and the importance of reflective systems that keep children safe without burning practitioners out. From caffeine for gamers to the underappreciated value of buddy systems and recognising hidden workloads, this episode offers real talk and practical reflection for anyone trying to run Forest School well—and legally.

⏱ Chapter Timings:
00:00 – Puppy poo, gamer caffeine, and jittery beginnings
02:00 – “Vaguely talking about…”: the episode that found its theme
03:15 – What Ofsted is (and isn’t), and how inspections really feel
05:06 – Hidden admin: ratios, risk assessments, and rules no one tells you
07:36 – The myth of one clear answer and why “just ring them” doesn’t cut it
09:41 – Autonomy vs accountability: running your own Forest School bubble
14:27 – Why a Level 3 isn’t the finish line (and what still gets missed)
18:29 – Should Forest School have its own inspection standards?
22:28 – Disclosures, safeguarding, and the adult jolts in a playful world
30:34 – Buddying up, burnout, and the burden of carrying it alone

🌲 Keywords: Ofsted, Forest School inspection, professional standards, compliance, admin load, safeguarding, outdoor education, Forest School qualifications, autonomy, paperwork stress, Forest School buddy system, regulation confusion, Forest School legality

🔖 Hashtags:
#ForestSchool #Ofsted #OutdoorEducation #Safeguarding #ForestSchoolLeadership #NatureBasedLearning #Compliance #ReflectivePractice #AdminLoad #BuddySystem #ChildSafety #ForestSchoolPodcast

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