The Clearing › Forest school near you › East of England › Essex
Forest school in Loughton
One forest school runs in Loughton, and 12 more nearby. Each page says what they offer and who for; book with them directly.
Forest schools in Loughton
Forest schools nearby
- Billericay Forest SchoolNorsey Wood, Billericay · Private woodland at Ramsden Heath, Essex Runs a weekly term-time toddler group, a home education group and monthly weekend family sessions around Billericay. Also offers woodland birthday parties and sessions for schools and early years settings.
- Bishop's Forest SchoolBishop's Wood at Rettendon, near Chelmsford, Essex Runs stay and play sessions for under-fives, a forest pre-school, holiday and family sessions, alternative provision and birthday parties in woodland at Rettendon.
- Essex Wildlife TrustNature Discovery Centres and nature reserves across Essex The county wildlife charity runs forest school programmes for schools, pre-schools and home education groups at its reserves or on site. It also runs weekly Nature Tots sessions for pre-school children and holiday clubs across Essex.
- Explore Essex Forest School at Danbury Country ParkDanbury Country Park near Chelmsford, Essex · Thorndon Country Park near Brentwood, Essex Essex County Council's country parks team runs weekly woodland play for under-fives, six-week home education blocks for primary-age children and a monthly Saturday family forest school at Danbury Country Park. Holiday forest school days run at Danbury and sometimes Thorndon Country Park.
- Lilybarn the NestPrivate woodland in Hockley, Essex Runs a term-time Friday morning woodland group in Hockley for under-fives with their grown-ups, with a mud kitchen, digging pit, hammocks, a small pond and bird hide, songs and stories, and feeding the chickens.
- Nature of LearningWoodland at Ashdon, near Saffron Walden, Essex Runs forest school in woodland at Ashdon, with sessions for children from age 1, a drop-off group for home-educated and flexi-schooled children aged about 5 to 14, and evening sessions for adults.
- Park Farm Forest SchoolFarm woodland at Chrishall, near Royston Runs term-time forest school sessions for early years and drop-off days for children aged 8 and over on a farm at Chrishall. Also runs an Ofsted-registered holiday club and woodland birthday parties.
- The Flying Fox - Forest School and Outdoor AdventuresA farm at Stanway, near Colchester Runs forest school on a farm at Stanway near Colchester, with a Little Explorers stay and play for under-fives, home education sessions, and visits for childminders and nurseries, including campfire cooking, tool use and feeding the farm animals.
- The Treehouse Club & Forest SchoolsNorsey Woods, Billericay · Thriftwood, Brentwood · Dollyman's Farm, Wickford Runs nurseries, pre-schools and out-of-school clubs guided by forest school principles at several sites in south Essex. Its holiday club for primary-age children runs at Thriftwood near Brentwood.
- Wilderness Foundation UKMann Wood at Great Leighs, near Chelmsford, Essex · Chatham Green, near Chelmsford, Essex The charity runs year-round home education forest school sessions for 5 to 16 year olds at Mann Wood, led by a forest school leader, and holiday camps for primary-age children at Chatham Green and Mann Wood. Also hosts school groups.
- Woodland Friends Stay and PlayHockley Woods, Essex Runs a weekly Friday morning outdoor stay and play in Hockley Woods for babies and young children with their grown-ups, with nature-themed activities, free play, rhymes and stories on a new seasonal theme each week.
- Woodland Wanderers Forest School EssexThe outdoor education area at Hylands Park, Chelmsford A new forest school at Hylands Park in Chelmsford running child-led outdoor sessions for young explorers, starting with taster sessions in autumn 2026.
Forest school training nearby
For practitioners: Level 1, 2 and 3 courses. Which level do I need?
- Charlotte's WoodWilby, Suffolk, Ashdon, Essex Runs Level 3 Forest School Leader training over about a year at Charlotte's Wood near Eye and in Ashdon, Essex, plus skills-share and first aid days for qualified leaders.
- Essex Wildlife TrustBasildon, Essex Runs Level 3 Forest School Leader training at Langdon Nature Discovery Park in Basildon, with a course running from October to November 2026.
- Forest School Training EssexColchester, Essex Runs Level 2 Assist at Forest School and Level 3 Forest School Leader courses in woodland at Kendall Primary School in Colchester, with spring and autumn 2027 Level 3 courses.
Nature of LearningAshdon, Essex, Saffron Walden, Wilby, Suffolk Runs Level 3 Forest School Leader training and introduction courses in Ashdon near Saffron Walden, a second course at Wilby in Suffolk with Charlotte's Wood, and training sessions for practising leaders.
Other towns in Essex
BasildonBillericayBrentwoodChelmsfordColchesterDanburyHockleyRoystonSouthend-on-SeaStanwayWaltham AbbeyWickford
Is a forest school missing?
Tell us and we'll add it, free. If it's yours, you can claim the page once it's up.