Education & Training

Outdoor Learning and Forest School in Early Years

Requirements for outdoor learning and forest school provision in early years settings, including risk assessment, insurance, qualifications, and health and safety compliance.

UK-wide
Guide summary

If you offer outdoor learning, you must follow specific safety and qualification rules. Those running Forest School activities need extra training and higher insurance. Always assess risks to keep children safe while they enjoy the outdoors.

  • Provide daily outdoor activities, weather permitting
  • Risk assess all outdoor areas, including public spaces
  • Maintain standard staff-to-child ratios outdoors
  • Hold Public Liability insurance, at least £5 million
  • Require Level 3 Forest School Leader for Forest School sessions
  • Notify Ofsted if using regular off-site outdoor premises
  • Conduct risk-benefit assessments for all outdoor activities
  • Ensure staff have paediatric first aid training
On this page
UK-wide

Related guides in Fire Safety

Keep children safe on farms

Legal requirements and practical guidance for protecting children on farms. Covers age restrictions for farm work and machinery, …

Outdoor learning and forest school activities provide rich developmental benefits for young children. The EYFS framework requires all providers to give children access to outdoor space or regular outdoor activities.

However, outdoor learning - particularly forest school - requires additional safety measures, risk assessment, qualifications, and insurance beyond standard childcare provision.

Legal requirements and qualifications

Risk-benefit assessment approach

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) actively encourages outdoor play and risk-benefit assessment rather than eliminating all risk. Children benefit from manageable risks that help them develop confidence, physical skills, and risk awareness.

What is risk-benefit assessment?

Rather than removing all hazards, you assess whether the benefits of an activity outweigh the residual risks after you've put control measures in place.

Example: Climbing trees

  • Hazards: Falls, branches breaking, unsuitable trees
  • Benefits: Physical development, confidence, risk awareness, problem-solving
  • Controls: Staff supervision, tree suitability checks, soft landing area, height limits, teaching safe climbing techniques
  • Decision: Benefits outweigh residual risks - activity proceeds with controls in place

Ofsted expects this balanced approach, not the elimination of all challenge from children's play.

Forest school vs outdoor play

It's important to distinguish between general outdoor play and forest school, as they have different requirements:

Aspect Outdoor Play Forest School
Qualification Paediatric First Aid required Level 3 Forest School Leader (FSA standard, expected by insurers)
Location Garden, playground, park Natural woodland or semi-wild space
Frequency Daily or as needed Regular repeated sessions (weekly/fortnightly, minimum 6 weeks)
Activities Play, physical activity, exploration Tool use, fire lighting, natural crafts, child-led exploration
Insurance Public Liability (no statutory minimum; £5 million typical) £10 million Public Liability recommended
Risk assessment General outdoor risk assessment Detailed site-specific risk-benefit assessment

You can provide outdoor play without forest school qualifications. If you're offering forest school specifically, the Level 3 Forest School Leader qualification is the Forest School Association standard and insurers typically expect it - it is not a legal requirement.

Notifying Ofsted of outdoor provision

If you're using premises not on your Ofsted registration certificate (e.g., regular visits to a woodland site), you must notify Ofsted. They may visit to inspect the outdoor space to ensure it's safe and suitable.

For childminders, occasional trips to local parks don't require notification. However, if you're using a specific woodland site weekly for forest school, this would need to be notified to Ofsted.