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Artwork for The Forest School Podcast

The Forest School Podcast

Lewis Ames and Wem Southerden
Forest School
Nature Connection
Child Development
Community Building
Outdoor Education
Owls
Urban Forest School
Re-Naturing Urban Spaces
Dressing Up
Hackney
Education
Adult Friendships
Social Interactions
Birds
Adaptation
American Politics
The Guardian
New York
London
Social-Emotional Learning

Wem Southerden & Lewis Ames have run Forest School and training centre Children of the Forest since 2017. The Forest School Podcast was born when they wondered if their daily wafflechats and reflections about pedagogy, play and nature connection might be of interest to others. The podcast aims to inform and support educators, parents, outdoor and play practitioners and anyone interested in nature ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes235Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Education

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Artwork for The Forest School Podcast

Latest Episodes

In this reflective, good-humoured episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Gemma wander from hornets and sweet chestnuts to big ideas in space design and session planning. They unpack a fresh “great board experiment” that swaps linear timetabl... more

In this reflective, funny episode, Lewis and Gemma reunite in the same room, fresh from a Royal Forestry Society award and a whirlwind visit to Westonbirt Arboretum. Using the provocatively titled book *We Need Your Art: Stop ***ing Around and Make S... more

A heartfelt conversation with Mell Harrison about Kinda Education’s plan to become the new custodians of Ringsfield Hall and bring a living school to life. We explore the vision, the sociocratic way of working, multi-generational learning in practice... more

In this calm, reflective conversation, Lewis and Wem sit down with play worker and artist Max Alexander of Play Radical to explore autistic play as a joyful, valid, and richly varied landscape. Max shares how one to one playwork can reconnect isolate... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Mell Harrison
A nature-based educator with over 30 years of experience, co-founder of Kinda Education.
Kinda Education
Episode: Ep 229 - Save Ringsfield Hall with Mell Harrison of Kinda Education
Max Alexander
A play worker, artist, consultant, and author of 'The Joys and Shapes of Autistic Play.'
Play Radical
Episode: 228 - Creating Play Taxonomies with Max Alexander
Nicole DeRushie
Author and speaker focused on ancient fashion and crafts
Episode: Ep 226 - Bog Fashion at Forest School with Nicole DeRushie
Dr. Alistair Bryce-Clegg
Expert in early years education, author, and speaker
Independent Educator
Episode: Ep 225 - What defines 'Ready for School'? w/ Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg
Dr. Richard Buggs
Researcher at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Queen Mary University London
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Episode: Ep 223 - Combating Ash Dieback w/Dr Richard Buggs from Kew Gardens
Dr. Jo Hume
An academic with a focus on forest school research and pedagogy.
Northumbria University
Episode: Ep 221 - Post-Humanism in the Woods: With Dr Jo Hume
Danny English
Outdoor educator, forest school leader, and author of children's books
Weeby Kids CIC
Episode: Ep 220 - Is 'Leave No Trace' denying us a place in nature? with Danny English
Ruth Webb
Forest school practitioner, artist, and activist involved in community art and giant-making.
The Lost Giants
Episode: Ep 218 - Giants and Beasts with Ruth Webb
Robin Ince
Comedian, author, and broadcaster
Episode: Ep 217 - Tangents, Shrews and Robin Ince

Hosts

Lewis Ames
Co-host known for contributions focusing on education, nature connection, and personal reflections as an outdoor educator.
Wem Southerden
Co-host with a focus on forest school practices and community engagement, gaining insights through experience in outdoor education.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 128 ratings
  • Story time

    Really enjoyed the last podcast around shared community stories. Echoes many things I am interested in at the moment, but also just a good broader listen. And addition, not easy to post a post on your own, so kudos to Lewis for that.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BertGrieves
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • Truths Be Told!

    Thank you for sharing the Truths of the joy, humour and humbling experiences of being in nature with children. The Bush Pods ~ Nature School in South Australia loves your podcast. I love legs 🐸!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SVadventures
    Australiaa year ago
  • A must for current or potential forest school leaders

    Varied, honest, insightful, funny and challenging- brilliant!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Pondie61
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Perfect for Forest school leaders

    As a fairly new forest school leader I love this podcast. So informative and the wealth of experience shared gives me so much food for thought on so many areas of this practice. Highly recommend!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Biddy Runs
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • So good!

    Words cannot express how much I love this podcast. Insightful, funny, thought provoking… essential listening. Go on, download it and listen while you’re packing up in the woods after a session. You’ll learn loads, get so many brain cogs churning, and feel like you’ve had a lovely chat with your mates. I promise you won’t regret it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SnagtoothRuth
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the insightful and educational approach to topics surrounding nature, child development, and play.
The show is noted for its community feel, where it seems listeners can connect with the hosts on a personal level.
Many find the discussions engaging, often mixing humor with serious themes, making it relatable for both educators and parents.
Some have expressed the need for more focus on specific age groups within the educational discussions.

Top Education Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep 229 - Save Ringsfield Hall with Mell Harrison of Kinda Education
Q: Is living school just a name for what you've described, or is there sort of more detail to that?
Mell elaborates on the 'living school' concept, emphasizing a curriculum based around community needs and hands-on experience.
Ep 229 - Save Ringsfield Hall with Mell Harrison of Kinda Education
Q: Can you tell us a bit more about the project that's coming out?
Mell explains the initiative to save Ringsfield Hall, detailing its educational history and their vision for revitalization.
Ep 229 - Save Ringsfield Hall with Mell Harrison of Kinda Education
Q: Can you give us a bit of an introduction to yourself and your work?
Mell introduces herself as a nature-based educator with 30 years of experience and discusses her founding of Kinda Education, aimed at making changes in education.
Ep 226 - Bog Fashion at Forest School with Nicole DeRushie
Q: How does your book fit into the Forest School narrative?
Nicole believes her book serves as a historical context and companion guide for Forest School leaders, providing familiarity with crafting activities and historical context.
Ep 226 - Bog Fashion at Forest School with Nicole DeRushie
Q: What fascinates you about ancient fashion and textile practices?
Nicole expresses her deep interest in early history and how people had to be more self-reliant and hands-on with their crafting and connection to nature at that time.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Forest School Podcast

What is The Forest School Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Conversations often revolve around education, play, and nature connection, diving deep into topics relevant to forest school and outdoor learning. Noteworthy episodes feature expert interviews that challenge conventional educational practices, explore neurodiversity within play contexts, discuss ecological issues, and advocate for the importance of community and authentic experiences in education. By focusing on inclusivity and unique perspectives, the content engages parents, educators, and outdoor practitioners alike, fostering an understanding of the essential roles of nature in child development and learning processes.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Forest School Podcast?

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How many listeners does The Forest School Podcast get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Forest School Podcast?

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How many subscribers and views does The Forest School Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Forest School Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Forest School Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Forest School Podcast:

1. As the Season Turns
2. Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball
3. How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
4. What's Up Docs?
5. Parenting Hell with Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe

How many episodes of The Forest School Podcast are there?

The Forest School Podcast launched 7 years ago and published 235 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Forest School Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Forest School Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on The Forest School Podcast?

Recent guests on The Forest School Podcast include:

1. Mell Harrison
2. Max Alexander
3. Nicole DeRushie
4. Dr. Alistair Bryce-Clegg
5. Dr. Richard Buggs
6. Dr. Jo Hume
7. Danny English
8. Ruth Webb

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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