The Hive is a response to the growing disconnect from nature more children experience. This affects not only their wellbeing but their ability to care for the natural world and how they apply the skills they develop as they grow up to the environmental challenges we face.
Based in London, The Hive delivers Accredited Forest School Training that focuses on innovative ways to engage pupils in Forest School, particularly in urban environments where access to outdoor space is constrained. We provide Level 2 Forest School Assistant and Level 3 Forest School Leader training, as well as Forest School Taster Sessions.
OUR TRAINING TEAM ARE NOT JUST EXPERIENCED LEVEL 3 FOREST SCHOOL PRACTITIONERS. THEY’RE ALSO SCHOOL TEACHERS OR SCHOOL PRACTITIONERS WITH DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF ENGAGING “CITY CHILDREN” IN FOREST SCHOOL.
They understand the challenge of delivering a genuine Forest School experience in places where you may be reliant on the local park or common. They’re interested in helping you find clever “ways around” to make the most of the woodlands and green spaces that London offers. Our training venue - Stave Hill Ecology Park - is in Surrey Quays, just a few minutes away from Canada Water station, a dense and rich nature reserve spanning 5 acres in the middle of the city!
We are accredited to deliver the following:
GEMMA HINDI - TRAINER
Gemma is a highly experienced Level 3 Forest School Leader, who also holds an MSc in Environment Science & Society. She has over 10 years’ experience of delivering Forest School, environmental education and outdoor learning. She has delivered sessions for early years, primary schools, SEND schools and children, home education & youth groups, families and community events. She’s also delivered countless training programmes for a range of adult groups, such as school teachers, TAs, nursery teams, parents and volunteers. In addition to Forest School training, Gemma is also an eco schools assessor who has advised and supported school teachers on how to achieve Green Flag status.
NIKKI MCKNIGHT - TRAINER
Nikki is a qualified primary school teacher who has taught in a variety of primary schools in London for 20 years, as a classroom teacher and subject leader. More recently she worked as a nursery practitioner within outdoor nursery settings. She is a Level 3 Forest school practitioner. Her passion is driven by supporting children and adults to experience the benefits of regular learning experiences within a local natural environment. She loves being in a woodland space and enjoys helping others discover the joy of being part of that natural world using exploration and self directed play. Nikki is driven by the belief that we can all become the resilient, courageous and lifelong learners we would like to be and that a life outdoors can play a fundamental part of supporting that journey.
MARLON GIBBINS - INTERNAL VERIFIER
Marlon is an experienced Level 3 Forest School Leader, as well as a primary school teacher. Marlon was hugely influenced by the Forest School movement and Steiner approach whilst studying for his Teaching Diploma in Denmark. Since that time the natural environment has been an integral part of his work both in formal and informal education across London. Marlon feels very strongly that the natural world is the perfect match for a child’s innate curiosity, offering them a limitless resource for new opportunities and experiences.
STAVE HILL ECOLOGICAL PARK
TIMBER POND ROAD
ROTHERHITHE
LONDON, SE16 6AX
Stave Hill Ecological Park is managed by The Conservation Volunteers as a nature reserve, educational facility, research area and place of recreation. The park has been designed and managed to form a mosaic of grassland, woodland, scrub and wetland habitats which support a wide variety of wildlife. This mosaic of habitats have been created from scratch by sowing and planting the poor soil.
The Park is intensively managed to conserve the wide variety of wildlife that colonised the area during the years the docks lay derelict and provide a haven for some of the species that lived here before humans so changed the land.More information about Stave Hill Ecological Park can be found here.
Click on the links below to see training dates for each course
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Forest School Leader Course Overview, Training Dates & Cost |
Forest School Assistant Course Overview, Training Dates & Cost |
Taster Sessions Overview, Dates & Cost |
