A line and a tap
Jot a single line of text and tap the NETA areas it shows, whatever's quickest with the activity in full swing. No long forms, no "I'll write it up tonight". The observation is captured before the moment's gone.
Observations & learning journeys
Forest school observations that build the learning journey.
A child balances along a fallen log, names the bird they just heard, lights their first spark. With the Forest School app you catch that moment in the woods (a line of text, a tap on the NETA areas, a consented photo), and it joins that child's learning journey without you typing it up later at the kitchen table.
- What it does
- Catch the moment in the woods (a line of text, a tap on the NETA areas, a consented photo), and it joins that child's learning journey without an evening of typing.
- Who it's for
- Nurseries and forest school leaders who evidence learning outdoors.
- What it costs
- Free for individual practitioners. Organisations: Solo £8/month, Team £29/month flat, unlimited woods on every plan, free trial, no card to start.
- What makes it different
- Photos are consent-checked by the app itself: a child without photo consent cannot be photographed, and it all works with no signal.
Observations in the moment, even with no signal
The best observations happen when you're knee-deep in the activity, not back at base hours later trying to remember who did what. The Forest School app is built for that: open a running session, tap the child, and capture what you saw in seconds: a quick line of text, a tap on the NETA areas it shows, a consented photo if you want one. No long form to fill in with cold hands. And because it's offline-first, none of it needs a bar of signal. Everything you record under the trees is saved on the device and syncs the moment you're back in range.
A consented photo, attached
Add a photo to bring the moment to life, but only ever for a child whose photo consent is on record. The app handles that check for you, so a snapshot is never a worry.
Works with no signal
Out in a dead spot? Carry on. Every note, tag and photo is stored on the device and syncs safely the moment you're back online. Nothing is lost on a wet morning in the woods.
Tagged to the FSA's NETA areas
An observation is only half the story until it's connected to what the child is actually growing in. As you record, you tag who it's about and which of the NETA areas it shows, the five the Forest School Association uses to describe holistic development: Confidence, Creativity, Resilience, Independence and Wellbeing. A child who keeps going back to a tower of logs that keeps falling might be Resilience and Creativity at once; crossing the fallen log unaided for the first time might be Confidence and Independence. Tag both, and the evidence sorts itself by area without you keeping a separate tracking grid. If you're new to observing outdoors, our guide on EYFS observations outdoors walks through what good looks like in the woods.
A learning journey that builds itself
Every observation you capture joins that child's learning journey: a running, dated picture of their term in the woods. You don't assemble it; it assembles. Open any child and their timeline shows their moments in order, threaded by NETA area, photos and all: the week they wouldn't leave your side, the week they led the den-building, the spark that finally caught. It turns a heap of scribbled notes into a story you can actually follow, and so can a parent at the door, and it feeds straight back into your next plan. Spot a child who's strong on Independence but quiet on Confidence, and you can shape the coming weeks around it. Observation, journey and session planning become one loop instead of three separate jobs, and it all lands in your wider record keeping without a re-key.
The bit DSLs and parents care about
The camera won't open for a child without photo consent.
This is the safeguard most apps bolt on as an afterthought and we built in from the start. If a child doesn't have photo consent on record, the camera simply will not open for them. There's no "are you sure?", no override, no quiet workaround a tired volunteer can tap past. And it isn't just a screen that hides a button: the same consent check runs again server-side on upload, so even if a photo were taken some other way, it can't attach to a child who isn't consented. One source of truth, enforced in the app and re-checked on the way in. Your DSL can sign off on it, and a nervous parent can be told the plain truth: their child cannot be photographed unless they've said yes. It cannot be bypassed.
Consent checked
10:51
Ada · balancing on the log
📷 photo added, consent on file
"Crossed the fallen log unaided, then turned back to help Rowan across."
Share progress with parents
Parents love seeing their child thrive outdoors, and the moments you capture are exactly what they want to see. From their own passwordless portal (they enter their email, pop in the code we send, and they're in) parents can view the observations you choose to share. You stay in control of what's published; the rest of your evidence and your notes stay private to your team. It's the warmth of a learning journey sent home, without exporting anything or chasing a printout, and it keeps families close to the magic their child is making in the woods.
Free for practitioners: the forest school subscribes
Every leader, assistant and volunteer has a free account, so the whole team can observe in the field at no cost. Only the forest school (the provider running the sessions) needs a plan, and one plan covers unlimited children, observations and learning journeys. A freelance leader working on their own is on Solo (£8 a month, VAT included); a forest school with staff is on Team (£29 a month flat, VAT included), and you get 30 days free with no card. See full pricing.
Observation questions
The things leaders ask first.
Can I observe without any signal in the woods?
Yes. The app is offline-first, so text observations, NETA tags and consented photos all save to the device and sync automatically when you're back in range. A dead spot never costs you a moment.
What stops a child without photo consent being photographed?
The camera won't open for them in the first place, and there's no override. As a belt-and-braces check, the same consent is verified again server-side when a photo is uploaded, so an unconsented child can't have a photo attached, full stop. It's enforced in the app and re-checked on the server.
Do parents see every observation?
No, only the ones you choose to share. Parents view shared moments through their own passwordless portal, while the rest of your evidence and your team's working notes stay private.
Start capturing learning journeys this term.
Set your forest school up free for 30 days, no card needed. Snap the moment, tag the area, watch the journey build.