Interview with our Outstanding FS Practitioner Winner 2011/2012

Alan Proudfoot is the winner of our Archimedes Forest Schools Outstanding Practitioner of 2011/2012 and won £3000 worth of training. We caught up with him recently to find out how he is continuing to develop Forest Schools in his setting.  

When did you do your Forest Schools Training?
I started my Level 3 training in April 2009.

What does Forest Schools mean to you?
Forest School is an awesome opportunity to bring together worthwhile learning opportunities and the natural environment, for our students. It also allows me to have the greatest "classroom" ever; the outdoors!

What do you feel the children gain from their Forest School experiences?

Our students have certainly gained the ability to work as part of a team when constructing shelters. They have become safety conscious individuals, able to manage risk when using a fire to cook or various tools, for example knives, axes or bow saws. Our students have enhanced their communication and literacy skills during "circle time" elements of sessions. Perhaps most importantly, our students have developed an appreciation for the natural environment that surrounds them, whether that be in our on-site Forest Schools area, down by our local stretch of the Thames estuary or when visiting local woodland.

Are there moments that have made you particularly happy to have introduced Forest Schools to your setting?
The students who were initially allocated Forest School sessions have been empowered to reintegrate with mainstream pupils. Therefore I am particularly happy that we have supported our students to become more resilient and successful learners.

I am also particularly pleased that we have been able to engage pupils with complex needs, who perhaps struggle within the confines of more traditional teaching and learning.

Finally, I am proud that we have been able to support and enhance the Forest School provisions for our local primary schools. As we have shared our site, worked together on an eco-project and provided staff support.

How do you see your Forest School journey developing in the future?
We aspire to train additional Level 3 Forest School leaders so that we can continue to support our students. The training related to Beach School is certainly another avenue we will utilise. Lastly, it would be excellent if we could train students perhaps to Level 1 type status, similar to the model used in the sports coaching world, as we will then be producing the next generation of high quality Forest School Leaders!

What would you say to anyone thinking of starting Forest Schools?
A genuine passion for most things outdoors and high quality training are definitely the first steps towards establishing a Forest School provision. The next steps then need to be slow and considered. Keep group sizes small in order to gain confidence, and then let imagination and creativity from both students and leaders be the driving force. Huge groups and lots of expensive equipment do not guarantee beneficial Forest School experiences.


Thank you to Alan for the interview.

Why you all love Forest Schools!

In our newsletter competition last month we asked you all to write (in no more than 100 words) why you LOVE Forest Schools for a chance to win a copy of Forest Schools for All. We have had an overwhelming response but sadly we have to choose a winner out of all the great entries! We have compiled a shortlist of our favourites below and the winner will be announced in our Newsletter later on today...good luck!

“I love Forest Schools because I get to see the sense of wonder on the children's faces when they discover something new. I will never forget the look on a child's face when they pick up a frog for the first time or the sense of pride that one girl experienced when she overcame her fears and climbed a tree for the first time. Most of all I know that these experiences will stay with these children for the rest of their lives,meaning that we are having a real impact in inspiring future generations”


“I’m proud to be a part of the Forest Schools experience and offer children this unique outdoor opportunity. I love that it offers an environment not usually experienced by young children and how it naturally offers so many learning opportunities. I love how I can plan a session but not get to follow it through because we spend the next hour following a colony of ants. I love that the children are subconsciously learning the whole time. But most of all I love watching the children take risks, run free, laugh, learn and grow whilst experiencing the beauty of nature.”

“I came to work on a cold Monday January morning feeling a bit low. I walked into ours woods to set up and it seemed to give me a hug. I then bought the year 6 children in and watched an asian girl who hated getting dirty 6 weeks ago make a mud face, 6 boys who have behavioural difficulties make us a cup of warm vimto on the kelly kettle and laughed till we were out of breath playing mammoth hunter mouse. We left feeling happy, contented and proud...... only Forest schools could do that.”

“Children allowed to be children
Happy healthy learning
FUN
Charcoaled Halloween faces
Tree swingers, Mud sliders
FUN
Buddies sharing food
Hiding in the snow,drinking hot tea
FUN
Caring for our forest home
Self esteem, confidence
Look at me, I can do it!
FUN”


If you would like to subscribe to the Archimedes Training Newsletter, please email jen@archimedes-training.co.uk

NEW COURSE: Elements of Understanding

Elements of Understanding

Training Programmes for Professionals

‘Children are not slates from which the past can be rubbed by a duster or sponge, but humans profoundly affected by what has gone before.’

John Bowlby (1951)

Archimedes offer courses to support the long term development of children and young people in a range of contexts and ‘Our Elements of Understanding’ series of workshops considers:



• What effects a child’s early experiences have on their ability to learn and ‘succeed’ in life


• Why some children struggle in school and fail to even begin to tap into their potential


• Why some children’s behaviours appear to be ‘out of control’


• How can professionals and others help to make a difference?



Why train with Archimedes


These inspiring and practical workshops, led by education specialists and experts in the field of Early Trauma and Attachment will give you a greater understanding, confidence and skills in working with vulnerable children and students. There will be fresh new insights based on the latest research on brain development and trauma as well as practical strategies which can be immediately implemented.


When
These courses are five days in length and each day can be attended independently or the series will create the ‘big picture’ through Introductions, strategies, Insights, personality profiles and visioning, personal mission statements and use of the outdoors

Quotes
"As a result of the positive impact of a staff team training day, run by Ruth Adams, we organised a 'Nature, Nurture & Trauma' day for our foster carers; there was an excellent response to this day and more carers than ever before booked in. After the event we got excellent feedback from the carers from an informative, inspiring and fun session. Exploring the connection between personality and behaviour promoted a better understanding of self and others and a willingness to adapt. A further day is being planned at the request of foster carers." Lynn Scott - Team Manager - Derbyshire Social Services - Family Placement Team

"Ruth offers a fascinating insight into all aspects of child development from birth to adolescence. Absolutely everyone who has anything to do with children would benefit from her expertise and warm, engaging and motivating style - Parents, child carers, youth workers, teachers, counsellors and other professionals. New insights, fresh strategies, increased understanding and so much more. I thoroughly and warmly recommend Ruth's invaluable training to you and your team." Faye Smith (Keep Your Fork)

Who
Professionals or parents/carers who work with or are engaged with or responsible for children and young people in ANY capacity for example teachers, SENCO’s, police, social workers, foster carers, carers, adoption agencies, Learning support, Sure Starts, Family support groups, Doctors, Special Needs teachers, youth offending teams, probation services, community workers

Cost
£96 inc Vat per day. Archimedes is offering a special offer to those who want to book on the series of five days in your area. Special Course Rate: £450 inc vat. Save £50


For further information  or to register your interest please contact:

Archimedes Training Ltd
http://www.archimedes-training.co.uk/
info@archimedes-training.co.uk




Dates and venues to be confirmed in:


Sheffield


Weymouth


Norfolk


Scotland


Wales


Devon


North Yorkshire

Vacancy at Archimedes Training - Administrator

JOB DESCRIPTION
FULL TIME PERMANENT ADMINISTRATOR

We wish to appoint a permanent Full Time administrator to support our work in the provision of high quality Adult Outdoor Learning training programmes throughout the UK.

The position based at Wood Lane Countryside Centre, Wood Lane Stannington, Sheffield until 31st March and thereafter at Unit W4 Sheffield Technology Park Cooper Buildings, Cooper Buildings, Sheffield, S1 2NS. (close to all public transport networks)

37.5 hrs a week
Monday to Friday
9am – 5pm
Pay scale £7 per hour
Stakeholder company pension scheme
Probationary period of 1 month
Immediate start

Essential skills and qualities:
Competency in Word, Excel, and Outlook
Experience in databases essential through a range of media
Ability to communicate effectively
Excellent organisational skills
Good customer service skills
Friendly outlook
Ability to multi-task

Main duties to include:
Filing, typing, photocopying and general admin duties
Financial data imputing
Data entry from booking forms and consent forms
Preparing materials for training courses
Some customer service telephone work
Administrate international projects
Assisting with marketing campaigns
Assisting with online shop administration and packaging tools for delivery
Liaise with volunteers
Postal duties

The successful candidate will work with all staff on a range of innovative projects and therefore a proven ability to work both as a team player and individually is required.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a friendly team with good working conditions in an attractive woodland centre setting.

Please apply by emailing your application to alice@archimedes-training.co.u​k

Deadline Friday 24th Feb 2012
Interviews to be held Friday 2nd March 2012
Start date – as soon as possible

Win £1000 for your Forest Schools projects

Countdown for £1000 Schools Award

Schools involved in inspirational projects relating to trees or woodlands have until 6 March to enter a free competition being held across the South West of England.

No woodlands are necessary – just a project that increases children or young people's understanding and appreciation of trees, woodlands and forests and/or of the link between trees and everyday wood products.

The Schools Award is part of the Royal Forestry Society (RFS) Woodlands Awards. All schools and educational establishments, from nursery to age 18, in Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Avon, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall can enter.

There are prizes of £1000 for the winner and £500 for the runner up in each category. Entries must be received by 6 March 2012, and judging will be held in May and June 2012.

For further details and entry forms visit www.rfs.org.uk, email rfscompetition@boyns.net or call 01824 704230 (office hours)

February Press Release - Yorkshire business archimedes marks ten years by expanding into Australia

NEWS RELEASE
________________________________________

Yorkshire Business Archimedes marks ten years by expanding into Australia!

Archimedes Training founded by dynamic social entrepreneur Sarah Blackwell, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with a launch into its third continent- Australia.

Back in 2000, Sarah became disillusioned with the way her dream job as environmental education development officer at a Derbyshire outdoor education centre was going. “People’s understanding of environmental education seemed to lurch between pond dipping and governmental sustainable development policies” remembers Sarah. “I was on a course on tree felling with the British trust for Conservation Volunteers when I met a Forest Schools Practitioner and then went and saw Forest schools in practice with three and four year olds in the woods and made the decision to quit. I booked a Forest School course in Gloucester with guru Gordon Woodall and in 2001, together with a colleague, I founded Archimedes Training to train adults to lead future forest schools. We named it after the mathematician’s famous saying, “Give me a leaver big enough and I can move the earth”. We really believed in the Forest Schools ethos we had experienced and thought it could have that life changing effect on people. We leased 155 acres of land in four different woods around Sheffield from the Forestry Commission, Sheffield City Council and the Peak National Park in Derbyshire to start. That first year we ran the business from the attic and with 40 young people on five projects, we turned over a grand total of £20k between us!”

“By 2002 we were running Forest Schools training projects all over Derbyshire, Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster, Leeds, East Riding, as far South as Stratford. We had outgrown the spare room when Sheffield Council’s Ted Talbot told us about the Wood Lane Countryside Centre’s refurbishment under the Big Lottery. We rented a room and we’re still there in Stannington now, and in 2003 we became the first independent training organization in the country to deliver Forest Schools.

By 2006 we were the largest provider of Forest Schools training in the North of England, offering accredited qualifications under the Open College
Network to level 4, working for independent schools and nurseries, local education authorities the local national parks and the Welsh Forestry Commission delivering training 36 weeks a year all over the country.”

At that point in 2008, Sarah bought her partner out and expanded the range further. “We set up the Dangerous Adventure Club brand”, Sarah recalls. “We ran birthday parties, a successful holiday club and trialed a breakfast club in Ecclesall Woods. My daughter ran the parties while taking her A levels, she’s a real entrepreneur and is now studying international business at Cardiff University while setting up Dangerous Adventure clubs in Wales. I am so proud of all she’s achieved despite being profoundly dyslexic, including becoming one of the top five elite trampolinist in the country.”

Over the past three years, Archimedes has grown exponentially. Sarah now finds herself writing qualifications at the highest levels, working all over the country, taking on more staff including Dave Watson approved leading bushcraft and foraging expert Paul Moseley and a management team to release her to develop the brand globally.

This year we will have trained over 4000 people to date. We are now the biggest Forest Schools and outdoor learning training provider supporting people from all around the world, training staff operating in countries as diverse as Canada, America, Portugal, France, Spain, Norway, Hungary, Dubai, New Zealand and now Australia. People are tracking us down on the internet, coming over to Britain to be trained, then asking us to go over and train more Forest School exponents- it’s fantastic. They say they come to see us as our reputation is simply the best in the business. We have the most courses in the most places at the highest qualification levels at the best value. And in June I finally paid myself a ‘proper’ wage for the first time- that felt really good!”

As for the future, Sarah has big dreams. We have directly, and indirectly, worked with hundreds of thousands of families so far and we want to touch the lives of thousands more, she says. We want to set up many more Forest and Beach Schools for young people like my own son, with learning disabilities. We recently launched Beach Schools for coastal areas and there are more programs in the pipeline for urban areas. I’d love to see Training Centres running on a Forest Schools ethos giving the users the life skills, confidence and competence they so desperately need to function in todays’ society. I’m also establishing my first Kindergarten and FOCAL - which is a woodland learning centre for adults with autism and learning disabilities. We have now found a wood with a beautifull adjacent building to work from.

Archimedes were invited by the British Embassy in Australia and UK Trade and Investment to launch Archimedes Training in Australia. ‘We have had a lot of international interest in our courses and we were really excited to be invited by UKTI to attend a trade delegation to Sydney’.

The five day trade mission was attended by Sarah and Archimedes Business Development assistant Jennifer Herniman and they met with a range of people who were interested in the development of Forest Schools and Beach Schools. Jennifer commented ‘it was such an amazing experience for us to travel across the world and spread the benefits of forest schools, beach schools our outdoor learning education.’

Sarah is extremely excited about the first courses in Australia which will be re-branded as Archimedes Bush Schools. ‘All the studies show how children learn to be so creative, use their imaginations, develop strengths like social and emotional self-reliance and problem solving skills in this way and this is completely relevant to all children across the world. Hopefully our courses in Australia will be one of many future ventures into international waters’.

The Initial training weeks will be held at the following centres:

Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong NSW 2522: 23rd to 27th April 2012

Cockburn Wetlands Education Centre, 184 Hope Road, Bibra Lake, Western Australia 6163 16th to 20th April 2012 For further information for this course please contact Dr Libby Lee Hammond - L.Lee@murdoch.edu.au

Sarah commented “What I live for are lives being changed, or what’s the point? I have an amazing team of dedicated people behind me, I am planning on writing ‘the Archimedes book’ on Forest Schools, I have survived so many life traumas and kept going, my children are thriving and I have the best job in the world. I consider myself blessed.”

To find out more about Archimedes Training and our courses, Sarah or Jen can be contacted on sarah@archimedes-training.co.uk jen@archimedes-training.co.uk . To book onto a course in Australia, please request a booking form from Jen or email info@archimedes-training.co.uk for more information.

Website www.forestschools.com http://www.archimedes-training.co.uk/
Sarah can be contacted the Archimedes Training headquarters on +44 (0) 114 2855534.

Twitter: @forestschools @beachschools

Media release distributed by Faye Smith at Keep your Fork marketing consultancy - Telephone: 07985 038265 email: faye@keepyourfork.co.uk

- ENDS-

Notes to the Editor

Sarah Blackwell, founder and Chief Executive

Sarah Blackwell, now 45, left her dysfunctional childhood behind the day after her eighteenth birthday and became a residential social worker for troubled kids in Devon. She quit to travel Europe in a bus where Sarah learnt to juggle, eat fire and met her husband. Sarah worked in a day centre for people with learning difficulties and at an activity centre in the Derbyshire Peaks. Coupled with her second son not being diagnosed autistic for five years, the strain of which caused her marriage to break down, Sarah combined all her experiences to help people turn their lives round using the outdoors.

With a First in Countryside Recreation Management from Sheffield Hallam, PGCE in Business Education and a visit to a Forest School in Oxford to inspire her, Sarah set up her own company, Archimedes Training Ltd in 2001, delivering high quality, inspirational training in the field of outdoor learning where children and adults of all ages can develop a variety of life skills: altruism, independence, self awareness and social communication skills, all of which assist individuals to grow in self-esteem and confidence.

Archimedes is now the largest provider of Forest School training in the world, offering training and consultancy throughout the UK and Europe, Malaysia, Australia, Portugal, New Zealand.

Sarah has a BSc in Countryside Recreation Management, a PGCE and is licensed to teach outdoor education to national qualification level 5 by the Open College Network.

She speaks at national and international conferences on Forest School ethos, children's development in the outdoors, outdoor learning and now Beach Schools.

She has appeared in the local press and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio and press. Her new series on Forest Schools is running in Nursery World magazine and she has written for Horizons and Living Woods magazines. Internationally, Sarah has written for an Australian early years magazine and commences Forest Schools Training there in November 2011. She is currently writing her first book called “Forest Schools - the essential guide.”

Sarah’s full story can be found at http://www.keepyourfork.co.uk/sarah_blackwell

Sarah regularly speaks in the press and on the radio about:


• Being a woman in business, Entrepreneurship - starting up and growing a successful company

• Running a Value driven business

• Trading internationally

• Natural play education and learning, utilizing the outdoors, top tips to helping children enjoy being outside, special needs and the out of doors
• Biophilia (The physical benefits of being outside in nature) .....Mental Health and the benefits of the outdoors

• Self harming, runaways, anorexia and teen suicide.

OCN Level 4 - Become an Archimedes Trainer!

Archimedes Training Ltd is proud to announce the commencement of the selection process for this year`s Archimedes OCN Level 4 Training the Trainer.







If you are interested in becoming a Trainer and delivering courses using the internationally recognised Archimedes quality standard, please download the Handbook from the website. Once you had read the Handbook and wish to continue, please request the Benchmarking document from the office to assess your suitability. This is the start of the process which is to be returned to the Training Manager for feedback by 1st March 2011.






On the 2nd April 2011 we will be holding a meeting in Sheffield for all of the potential candidates starting this year. This meeting will include a discussion regarding the requirements for entry to the process as well as a practical assessment of woodland skills and one on one interviews. Those that have met the entry requirements and been selected will then be invited to the Initial Training week to begin their Forest School Trainer journey in May.






If you have any additional queries, please feel free to contact the office on (0114 2855534)

Some lovely feedback from our Level 3 training!

We are currently recieving some lovely feedback from all our courses and feel we should share some of the best with you all. These are all genuine responses that were collated earlier this year.
 
Our instructor was very supportive in activities we were a bit unsure with and was positive, allowed us to see it fun and was an enjoyable experience.
 
Excellent course. Had a great time!

Really enjoyed the course, the time flew by – a real testament to Patrick’s approach. Thank you.

Fantastic course. Really enjoyed the week. Thank you!

Loved the whole week; fantastically delivered with enthusiasm and great knowledge.

Really enjoyed the course. The heart and ethos of forest schools and Archimedes ran throughout the training. I have learnt so much. Thank you!

Absolutely fabulous experience. Good for the soul – uplifting and inspirational.

Very well delivered. Extremely informative. Friendly environment.

Absolutely fantastic course. All teachers should do it and get their children out.

Everyone should do this then we will change the world!

Total Value for money.
Excellent communication by phone and by email. Helpful staff especially on the phone.

The course was excellent – aims and expectations were met and exceeded.

The course totally fulfilled expectations. Patrick showed a great sense of humour.

Patrick was awesome and really approachable and knowledgeable.

Really friendly and supportive people on the end of the Archimedes phone!

I would absolutely recommend this course to others. It is the best quality Forest Schools training I have ever seen.

I found your postal service very good. I ordered equipment and received it within days.

Delivery was excellent.
 Excellent and thoroughly enjoyable.

Inspiring and motiviating. Lots of fun and I now want to pass that fun on.

Excellent for personal and professional development. All child workers need to go on this course.

A great experience and a thoroughly enjoyable week. Very motivating and empowering. Thank you!

Instruction was immense and completely made this course.

Patrick during the assessment was fantastic at making me feel comfortable and relaxed therefore I was able to perform a lot better and develop my individual skills.
 One of the most amazing, inspiration courses I have ever attended.
The course totally exceeded my expectation. The best and most valuable course I have ever attended! An incredibly powerful experience.

Both Karen and Patrick were great, very helpful and patient.
 Patrick is an excellent teacher – his passion for the subject comes through and he is very inspirational.

The course was thorough and very enjoyable.
 Thank you for reigniting my love for the outdoors!