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Forest school in Greater Manchester
12 forest schools run in Greater Manchester, and 18 more nearby. Each page says what they offer and who for; book with them directly.
Towns in Greater Manchester
- Bolton3 forest schools · 1 trainer
- Manchester3 forest schools · 1 trainer
- Salford1 forest school · 1 trainer
- Wigan2 forest schools
- Altrincham1 forest school
- Ashton-in-Makerfield1 forest school
- Bury1 forest school
- Carrington1 forest school
- Chorley1 forest school
- Denton1 forest school
- Didsbury1 forest school
- Heaton Moor1 forest school
- Hyde1 forest school
- Oldham1 forest school
- Reddish1 forest school
- Royton1 forest school
Forest schools in Greater Manchester
- Communitree Outdoor EducationHeaton Park, Manchester · Summerseat, near Bury · Dunham Massey, near Altrincham Runs outdoor holiday clubs at Heaton Park, Summerseat and Dunham Massey, plus forest school alternative provision for 5 to 16 year olds, school curriculum days and outdoor birthday parties.
- Compass Forest SchoolTandle Hill Country Park, Royton, Oldham Runs small-group forest school alternative provision at Tandle Hill for primary pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, working with schools in Oldham, Rochdale and Bury.
- Forest Frontiers CICSmithills woodland, Bolton · Lady Mabel's Wood at Haigh, and Billinge Plantation, Wigan · Yarrow Valley Country Park, Chorley A community interest company running family sessions, woodland baby sensory, forest camps, a home education programme and woodland parties at sites in Bolton, Wigan, Chorley and Croston, plus sessions for schools.
- Forever Wild Forest SchoolSports ground woodland in Didsbury, Manchester Runs Forest Babies and Wild Tots groups, after-school clubs, family sessions, holiday clubs for 6 to 11 year olds, parties and woodland wellbeing sessions from its base in Didsbury, and goes out to nurseries and schools.
- Inside Out Forest SchoolFarm woodland near Glossop, Derbyshire · Woods near Leek, Staffordshire · Woodland near Marple, Greater Manchester Runs after-school clubs, summer holiday camps for 5 to 14 year olds and children's parties at woodland sites in Glossop, Leek and Marple. Also offers woodland wellbeing sessions for adults.
- Kids Go Wild Forest SchoolGreen space at Dane Bank, Denton, Greater Manchester · Heaton Moor, Stockport · Reddish Vale Park, Stockport Runs an outdoor forest school nursery, stay and play sessions, a home education group, weekend family sessions, holiday clubs and woodland parties across sites in Denton and Stockport.
- Lancashire Wildlife TrustBrockholes nature reserve, near Preston · Moss Bank Park, Bolton · Lunt Meadows, near Liverpool Runs forest school programmes and taster days for schools and home education groups at Brockholes and Moss Bank Park, and family forest school days in the school holidays.
- Little Bats LearningFamily hubs and community sites across Bolton · Seven Acres Country Park, Bolton A community interest company running forest school stay and play sessions for 1 to 5 year olds with their grown-ups at Bolton family hubs, holiday activity sessions for 5 to 15 year olds and nature sessions for new parents.
- Manchester Bees Forest SchoolFallowfield and Beswick, Manchester · Broughton, Salford · Hattersley, Tameside Runs inclusive forest school groups, many of them free, for neurodiverse and disabled children in Fallowfield, Beswick, Hattersley and Broughton, and forest school style alternative provision.
- Sticks and Worms Nature NetworkOutdoor sites in Blackburn, Lancashire · Ashworth Valley, near Rochdale A community interest company running mixed-age home education forest school for 4 to 16 year olds in Blackburn and Rochdale, and a summer holiday club at Ashworth Valley.
- The Nebula CentreForest school site in Carrington, Trafford Runs weekly outdoor classes for 1 to 4 year olds with a parent, holiday clubs and parties for 5 to 12 year olds, and forest school days for school classes at its site in Carrington.
- Wise Oak Forest SchoolSkitters Woods, Ashton-in-Makerfield, near Wigan Family-run forest school in a wood at Ashton-in-Makerfield, with monthly home education days for junior and senior age groups, family home education sessions and Saturday family forest play.
Forest schools nearby
- Beautiful New Beginnings CICParks and woods around Liverpool, Kirkby, Prescot and Halewood, Merseyside Runs free weekly community forest school sessions for babies and children with their grown-ups at woods and gardens across Liverpool, Kirkby, Prescot and Halewood. Also works with Liverpool schools and runs forest school parties.
- Cheshire Forest SchoolPrivate one-acre woodland in the Cheshire countryside Runs Little Forest Folk sessions for 1 to 4 year olds, home education forest school for 4 to 11 year olds, holiday clubs, family events and parties in its own woodland, and visits from schools or sessions in school grounds.
- Cheshire Wildlife TrustThe Quinta nature reserve, Swettenham · Marbury Country Park, Northwich · Moore nature reserve and Sankey Valley, Warrington Runs forest school programmes of six or more half-day sessions, and one-off taster days, for schools at its nature reserves and woods around Cheshire or in suitable school grounds.
- Community by NatureSettings and local woods around Bootle and Sefton, Merseyside Bootle charity (formerly Sefton Play Council) that has run forest school on Merseyside since 2006, offering taster sessions and full programmes for groups of 3 to 16 year olds at their setting or in local woods.
- EdenVenturesWoodland in the Eden Valley, Cumbria Small Eden Valley charity running forest-school style summer weeks in the woods, with fire lighting, carving, den building and crafts, and an overnight camp for over-nines. Grants subsidise every place.
- Forest ExplorersWoodland at Sandiway, near Northwich, Cheshire Runs weekly forest school sessions for children from 18 months to 5 years, a home education group for over 11s and seasonal family sessions in woods at Sandiway.
- Greenwood GrowthWoods near Macclesfield, Cheshire · Sites around Leek, Staffordshire · Sites around Buxton, Derbyshire A community interest company running weekly term-time forest school for babies, early years and home educated children, and holiday clubs for children aged 5 and up, around Macclesfield, Leek and Buxton.
- Grow-Wellbeing CICBidston Hill and community gardens in Birkenhead, Wirral Birkenhead not-for-profit running nature and forest school sessions across Wirral, the Liverpool City Region and Cheshire, including a free Saturday kids club and a youth programme on Bidston Hill, plus schools and nursery programmes.
- Harwes Farm CICFarm woodland near Colne, Lancashire Community farm near Colne with 36 acres of mixed woodland, running a monthly Saturday family forest school with campfire cooking, tool skills, tree climbing and den building. Other forest school sessions are arranged by contacting the farm.
- Into The Ark Forest SchoolPrivate woodland in Scarisbrick, West Lancashire Runs full-day forest school pre-school sessions for 2 to 5 year olds in its own woodland in Scarisbrick, with a home education group and some holiday sessions for children who have attended before.
- Laurel's WoodWoodland in Formby, Merseyside A community interest company with a woodland in Formby, running the Woodlings playgroup for young children and their grown-ups, outdoor learning for schools and groups, parties, and bushcraft and team days for adults.
- Nest in the WoodsWoodland day camps around Grappenhall, Warrington Runs a term-time outdoor pre-school for 2 to 5 year olds based on the forest school approach, and a holiday club for 3 to 12 year olds in some school holidays, in woods around Grappenhall.
- Roots to Branches Forest SchoolWoodland in Lancashire Lancashire forest school running Mini Mudders play sessions for under-fives, Wild Skills for 3 to 7 year olds, monthly family forest school, a home education group and holiday clubs. They also visit schools and host school groups in the woods.
- Stocks Wood Outdoor CentreWoodland site near Wigton, Cumbria A woodland centre based on the forest school philosophy, running forest school for schools, half-term family forest sessions, birthday parties and team days for adult groups.
- Stomping GroundSerpentine Woods, Kendal, Cumbria · Scotch Quarry, Lancaster A community interest company running term-time forest school in Kendal and Lancaster, including an under-fives group, a family session and drop-off groups for older children and home educators.
- VenturewoodDelamere Forest, near Northwich, Cheshire Outdoor learning charity (part of the Petty Pool Trust) running school holiday Forest Days in Delamere Forest for 6 to 13 year olds, with bushcraft, den building and nature discovery, plus forest visits for schools and groups.
- Wildlings Forest and Beach SchoolWoods near Bebington, Wirral Wirral forest school running Wild Tots and family sessions for babies, toddlers and their grown-ups, a home education day, holiday clubs and woodland wellbeing sessions near Bebington.
- Woodland WellbeingsWoolton Woods, South Liverpool Runs forest school and wilderness therapy courses of at least 12 weeks for special, primary and secondary schools, and sessions for adults, from its base in Woolton Woods in south Liverpool.
Forest school training in Greater Manchester
For practitioners: Level 1, 2 and 3 courses. Which level do I need?
- Social adVenturesSalford, Greater Manchester Salford charity offering Level 2 forest school assistant and Level 3 leader training at its woodland site, with Level 3 taking nine to twelve months.
- The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North MerseysidePreston (Brockholes), Rufford (Mere Sands Wood), Bolton (Moss Bank Park) Runs the AIM Level 2 Award for Forest School Assistants and Level 3 Certificate for Forest School Leaders at nature reserves in Preston, Rufford and Bolton.
Other counties in the North West
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