Forest School First Aid | Face-to-Face

Forest School First Aid Course | 3-Day Face-to-Face

Forest school and beach school sessions present unique, multi-environment first aid challenges. Casualties may range from infants and young children to adult supervisors. Furthermore, operations take place in remote outdoor settings where emergency access may take up to two hours. Standard workplace, outdoor, or paediatric qualifications do not cover all these variables on their own. Our comprehensive 3-day course satisfies all three regulatory frameworks simultaneously. This intensive training explicitly exceeds the Institute for Outdoor Learning (IOL) Level 4 first aid recommendations.

Statutory Compliance & Unified Accreditations

This qualification carries extensive multi-sector accreditation values. It completely covers the full core syllabi for the 16-Hour Outdoor First Aid, the 12-Hour Paediatric First Aid (EYFS Statutory Framework Annex A), and the 6-Hour Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) courses. Consequently, both Ofsted and the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) accept this certification without reservation.

Forest School leaders can satisfy multiple statutory workplace duties simultaneously through this single training window. If taking three full days away from your setting is logistically challenging for your staffing rotas, you can cross-reference our alternative Blended Forest School First Aid course which shifts the theory modules online.

How the 3-Day Training Timeline Works

We deliver this premium qualification entirely through immersive classroom and practical interaction. The intensive curriculum provides a deep dive into wilderness emergency systems over a dedicated schedule:

• 20+ Guided Learning Hours: Regulatory bodies demand a minimum of 20 in-person contact hours to validate this multi-framework certificate. Our expert trainer guides you through every required module in person. This time explicitly covers your assessment profiles and excludes rest breaks.
• Self-Directed Study: The awarding bodies recommend an additional 4 hours of independent self-study. This material helps reinforce your theoretical understanding of remote emergency planning.
• The 3-Day Standard: We deliver this course as standard over three consecutive days. We occasionally receive requests to compress this material into two 10-hour days. However, our extensive training experience consistently shows that extreme compression is detrimental to learning. Therefore, we maintain our strict 3-day educational standard to protect your skill retention.

Extreme Environment & Advanced Protocols

Our practical training modules adapt strictly to real-world wilderness emergencies and changing environmental hazards. You will master modified CPR protocols designed specifically for drowning, avalanche burials, and lightning strikes. The curriculum also covers catastrophic bleeding management, hypovolaemic shock, suspension trauma, and Lyme disease tracking.

Our practical scenarios enforce comprehensive primary and secondary surveys across all casualty demographics. Following current Resuscitation Council UK guidelines, you will practice skills for infants (0–1 year), children (1–12 years), adolescents (13–18 years), and adult casualties to seamlessly cover your workplace requirements.

Comprehensive Course Syllabus

This intensive course covers an extensive array of life-saving topics. The modules ensure you remain competent across outdoor, childcare, and commercial settings:

• Assessment & Scene Management: The specific role of a Forest School first aider. Managing safe outdoor scenes, obtaining consent, preventing cross-infection, using incident log documentation, and communicating effectively with frightened casualties.
• Critical Life-Threatening Emergencies: Infant, child, adolescent, and adult CPR techniques. Modified life-saving protocols for environmental drowning, avalanche entrapment, and lightning strikes. Complete Automated External Defibrillator (AED) operation. Managing unresponsive casualties when emergency assistance is up to two hours away. Managing severe choking blockages.
• Trauma & Environmental Injuries: Treating major wounds, external bleeding, and catastrophic haemorrhages. Managing shock, hypovolaemic complications, and suspension trauma. Treating environmental burns, scalds, immersion in water, head concussions, and suspected spinal, skeletal, or pelvic fractures. Safe removal of outdoor activity equipment and casualty movement techniques.
• Acute Medical Conditions: Recognising and treating severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. Managing asthma attacks, diabetic emergencies, heart attacks, strokes, and epileptic or febrile seizures. Identifying meningitis symptoms, sudden poisoning or ingestion hazards, and treating foreign bodies in the eyes, ears, or nose.
• Outdoor Hazard Tracking: Identifying and managing wilderness-specific conditions. This includes monitoring for Lyme disease following tick bites, treating adder stings, managing hypothermia or extreme heat stroke, and treating minor cuts, bruises, or splinters in the field.

Attendance Continuity & Late Arrival Policy

Regulatory awarding bodies enforce strict contact-time criteria for multi-framework compliance certificates. You must arrive fully prepared for each interactive module. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for any face-to-face training day, we must turn you away. You will immediately forfeit your course placement and all paid booking fees.

Classroom Schedule & Daily Breaks

We structure the face-to-face days to maximise your learning and comfort. The course covers a large amount of vital, life-saving curriculum. Therefore, the training runs promptly from 9:00am to 5:00pm each day.

We distribute approximately 1 hour of total rest breaks throughout each day. This keeps candidates fresh and focused:

• Morning: 15-minute scheduled coffee and comfort break.
• Lunchtime: 30-minute allocated break for lunch.
• Afternoon: 15-minute scheduled coffee and comfort break.

Assessment & Testing Criteria

We assess candidates across two distinct classroom components. These rules apply regardless of your chosen certification route:

• Multiple-Choice Question Paper: You sit a formal summative theory exam paper during your course. You must score a minimum of 70% correct answers to achieve a pass.
• Continuous Practical Observation: Our instructor assesses your hands-on techniques throughout the day. You must demonstrate life-saving procedures accurately. Act exactly as you would in a real wilderness emergency, such as performing floor-level CPR. This component requires a 100% pass mark.

Certification & Add-On Level 3 Credentials

We provide flexible certification pathways to match your specific organisational requirements. Our default path issues digital PDF credentials through Chris Garland Training, which remain valid for 3 years. Alternatively, you can select an externally validated, QNUK Ofqual-regulated certificate using the radio options above. The Ofqual route includes an official paper certificate alongside a credit-card-sized plastic verification card.

Do you need independent verification for distinct workplace roles? Upon request, we can issue separate, standalone Level 3 certificates for Emergency First Aid at Work, Paediatric First Aid, and Outdoor First Aid to prove your multi-framework compliance profile. We apply a nominal administrative charge for these extra printings when issued directly by Chris Garland Training, or a full regulatory fee (£12.50 + VAT per certificate) when requested via the Awarding Organisation (AO).

Course Prerequisites & Age Requirements

Please ensure all attendees meet these physical and educational criteria before arriving at our training centre:

• Physical Capability: You must be physically capable of demonstrating floor-level procedures on training manikins. This includes kneeling to perform continuous physical techniques in simulated outdoor conditions. You must meet this mandatory safety requirement to pass the qualification.
• Language Requirement: We conduct all training, technical materials, and assessment papers strictly in English. You need a functional level of English to take the course. As a baseline guideline, we recommend GCSE Grade C or Level 2 literacy and numeracy. You are welcome to bring a physical, paper translation dictionary to the classroom. Please contact our team before booking to discuss reasonable adjustments.
• Age Parameters: This course suits anyone aged 16 or over who wants to assume nominated outdoor first aider duties. We welcome candidates aged 14 to 16. They will receive a valid certificate upon passing. However, employers should not rely on them as a sole, nominated responsible person in the workplace.

Candidate Numbers & Group Parameters

We maintain strict educational safety standards. To ensure every student receives dedicated tutor feedback and proper scenario supervision, we operate clear participant thresholds:

• Minimum Group Size: We require a baseline of 4 candidates to run a scheduled open public course or a private group session. For open courses, if this threshold isn’t met, we will contact you to discuss options in line with our standard terms.
• Maximum Group Size: The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and awarding organisations limit us strictly. We allow a maximum of 12 candidates per instructor to maintain safe tracking dynamics.
• Larger Corporate Teams: Do you have more than 12 candidates? We can easily bring a second qualified assessor into the classroom to accommodate your team. This service depends on calendar availability and requires an additional instructor fee.

Venues, Private Bookings & Global Coverage

Our open, scheduled courses take place at our dedicated training centre in Knutsford, Cheshire. Please review our comprehensive Joining Instructions page to check venue directions, parking, and specific outdoor clothing recommendations.

Our instructors travel nationwide to deliver private training directly at your venue or workplace. We gladly adapt our practical scenarios to align with your team’s specific environment and internal risk assessments. Visit our Corporate & Bespoke Training Quotations page to book a private session or request a custom price breakdown.

To learn more about national outdoor infrastructure standards, you can visit the official website for The Forest School Association.