
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
| Publishes | Twice monthly | Episodes | 259 | Founded | 8 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | Education | |||

This week Wem and I dig into Brian Sutton-Smith's The Ambiguity of Play, a book Wem has been quietly highlighting half to death for the best part of a year.
Sutton-Smith's approach isn't to tell us what play is. It's a literature review of how diffe... more
Generous Authority: The Art of Gathering at Forest School
This episode, I’ve read a book and Wem’s job is to poke holes in it. The book is Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, and parts of it had me nodding along whil... more
Declarative language and empathy sit at the heart of how we support behaviour at Children of the Forest. Rather than issuing commands, we describe what we notice and help people see the effect their actions have on those around them. Most of the time... more
Wem and I get into a concept neither of us had a name for until this week: inessential weirdness. It comes from a video by organisational psychologist Pippi Kessler, and once you've got the term you start seeing it everywhere.
We open with my Ofsted... more
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Such an informative Podcast! Lewis, Wem, and guests take a playful approach to Forest Schooling, which matches Forest School’s playful approach to education!
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.
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 🐸!!
Varied, honest, insightful, funny and challenging- brilliant!
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!
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Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
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Two veteran educators run a nature- and play-focused show that centers Forest School pedagogy, outdoor education, and child-led learning. Episodes routinely explore practical training, risk, playwork, community engagement, and policy context, often featuring guests who bridge academic theory with on-the-ground practice. Noteworthy is the blend of personal storytelling, humor, and rigorous discussion, plus a willingness to tackle timely topics like climate impacts, boundaries, and inclusion in outdoor spaces. The format frequently serves as CPD for leaders and educators, while remaining accessible to parents and practitioners curious about nature-connected education and public engagement with green spaces.
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5. The Wild Minds Podcast
The Forest School Podcast launched 8 years ago and published 259 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on The Forest School Podcast include:
1. Ellie J
2. Dr. Wendy Russell
3. Nick Elvy
4. Ellen Fay
5. Susan Barker
6. Dr. Shelley Newstead
7. Mell Harrison
8. Max Alexander
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