Head of Forest School

Job Description: Head of Forest School

Reporting to: Head of Preschool

**Main duties and responsibilities**

**To work closely with the Head of Preschool, Head of Curriculum and Standards, Head of Assessment and Parental Engagement, Staff and Director Group to support the below.**

To be responsible for, plan and oversee the delivery, organisation and smooth running of Forest School at Mini Oaks.

To be responsible for the maintenance, cleaning, running and organisation of the preschool van, ensuring MOT, servicing and insurance is complied with.

To evaluate the Forest School provision and to continually strive for improvement.

To promote learning in the outdoor environment and the ethos of Forest School and outdoor learning.

To be responsible at all times for high standards of care and education of all group members in accordance with the Forest Schools Association principles and criteria for good practice.

To ensure effective communication with the Head of Preschool, Head of Curriculum and Standards, Head of Assessment and Parental Engagement, Director Group, parents, volunteers, service providers and children.

To manage staff and volunteers effectively, ensuring they embrace the ethos of Forest School.

To ensure the health and safety of all participants, including writing and checking risk assessments for the sites, tools and activities used and shared with the Director Group immediately if any risks are posed on site.

To regularly check and maintain tools and other equipment.

To keep records, as appropriate, of emergency contact details for all participants,

permission forms and achievement of children.

To work closely with the SENDco (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and monitor and supervise SEND needs in the preschool - keeping abreast with access to new training and research, working with outside specialist teams (e.g. Local Authority, EYFS SaLT team) as necessary to ensure children with special educational needs and disabilities make the desired progress.

To contribute to the overall curriculum, assessment needs and progress tracking of individual children.

To maintain the external environment to the Parish Centre, working collaboratively with the Parish staff to ensure safety of the sheds, ramp, carpark, cleaning of the sign on entry and strimming of the triangular grass which the sign sits on.

To work closely with the management team to maintain and plan for visits to the allotment with the children as part of their outdoors learning experience and curriculum. Any maintenance of the allotment to be organised with the Director Group.

To adhere to all relevant policies and procedures of the setting.

To engage in continuous professional development.

To carry out all other such duties as may from time to time be determined by the Preschool management team.

**Physical Demands**

The work requires moderate levels of physical effort. It involves lifting and handling of equipment and other resources and to be involved in practical activities and physical care of learners and the physical outdoor environment.

The role is almost exclusively out of doors and will require working on uneven surfaces and in unpredictable weather conditions.

**Person Specification - Forest School Experience**

Experienced in working with children in education or playwork.

Ability to motivate and inspire children across the range of age, ability and confidence.

To be clear, confident, fair, with good behaviour management skills appropriate to the age of the child.

**Knowledge and Skills**

Level 3 Forest Schools Programme Leadership Certificate (or at least Level 2 working towards Level 3).

An understanding of Health & Safety requirements and welfare issues of working with children aged between 2-4.

Knowledge, understanding and practical experience of Forest Schools provision for children aged between 2-4.

Knowledge and practical understanding of child development and pedagogy.

Knowledge and understanding and practical experience of sustainable woodland management and education within the outdoor environment.

Knowledge and understanding of The Oaks CIC, their ethos and how they work.

Hold a current Paediatric First Aid Certificate, relevant to Forest School.

Hold a Food Hygiene Certificate.

Able to work independently and to manage own time efficiently.

Excellent communication skills.

Ability to work individually and as part of a team.

Ability to manage staff and volunteers.

Ability to effectively manage risk and produce thorough risk assessments, putting suitable measures in place to ensure the safety of all staff and children.

Ability to think creatively and adapt activities to allow all children to be included and a commitment to equal opportunities for all learners.

**Personal Attributes**

Love of the outdoors and nature.

Self-motivated.

A flexible approach to work commitments.

Excellent role model for learners, staff and volunteers.

Ability to sustain moderate levels of p