Our Forest School Team
Our Forest School has a high level of adult supervision.
Our team of Forest School leaders, play facilitators, volunteers and parents create a community with the children at the heart.
We allow children a certain degree of autonomy and, from the very first session, we place a very clear emphasis on trust. Building trusting relationships with supervising adults is key to our practice.
As the children within the group develop their skills and learn to trust themselves, us and each-other a sense of freedom is created. This is needed for uninhibited exploration /experiential learning, confidence-building and the development of healthy levels of self-esteem.
Even though we may not continuously be interacting with children directly, they will always be clearly visible to, and under subtle observation of, a Forest School adult.
We continuously observe and assess in order to ensure your child is happy, safe, and to scaffold their learning.
Cate Regi - Forest School Facilitator
Before starting The Wilderness Grove Forest School, I worked as a Special Needs teacher across all the age ranges and most recently as a Head Teacher in a Special residential school. Originally, I studied Fine Art and then a PGCE to become a qualified teacher. I studied for my Forest School Level 3 accreditation in 2017.
I have over 20 years' experience in working with neurodivergent young people and trauma informed practice is at the heart of what I do.
I am a mum of 2 beautiful girls and understand the importance of building confidence and self-esteem in our young people. Whilst starting The Wilderness Grove we also started home educating our daughter and we plan to Wild-School our youngest who is still a toddler.
Nature Connection is central to how we raise our girls.
I have supported many schools and learners of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to achieve their goals and increase their knowledge in the outdoors environment, facilitating their learning journey through Forest School.
I am a passionate believer in the importance of natural learning, the child led approach and positive risk taking.
Tom Wild - Forest School Facilitator
I have worked for many years in the great outdoors, caring for animals and working with the land. As a climber, keen walker and countryside enthusiast I was able to explore many of the landscapes Britain has to offer before settling in Norfolk.
I have worked in farming and education before qualifying as a Forest School leader.
I am an experienced Scout and Adventurer and have a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award which enables me to guide young people on organised expeditions.
I believe a connection to nature and developing skills working outside can lead to improving the self-esteem and resilience of young people. Learning transferable skills allows and enables people to take risks and find direction in later life.
It has been my ambition for many years to own and maintain a woodland.
Now as a woodland owner I am passionate about sharing the environment with young people. Sustainability and conservation are of vital importance, and I feel confident that the next generation of Forest Schoolers will change our world for the better. I'm proud to facilitate them in their journeys of understanding the world around them.
Issy Fountain - Forest School Facilitator
I discovered forest school after having children. I noticed that we all felt happiest in nature.
Attending forest school gave us each the opportunity to listen to our bodies and meet our individual needs whether it was exploring, burning off energy, doing calm crafts or socialising around a campfire.
My love of nature and the forest school experience motivated me to complete my assistant training in 2019 with the Green Light Trust. This training really taught me importance of play! In play we learn, problem solve, build self-awareness, resilience and connect with each other.
I have worked in several forest school settings including family sessions, supporting children who find mainstream education challenging and an outdoor nursery.
I believe a really important part of forest school is the sense of community it creates. I am passionate about supporting children and families to enjoy the benefits of their time outdoors, discovering the natural world together and facilitating the opportunity to play and connect with each other and themselves.
Wendy Tranfield - Forest School Facilitator
I’m a mum to four grown up girls, a former community mental health nurse and more recently a primary school teacher.
My background has been all about making relationships with people, seeing
their individuality and accompanying them on their healing and learning journeys. Now I can bring that into the woods.
As a teacher much of my experience was in early years. Child led, outdoor learning, through play and exploration has always been close to my heart. As has the view that access to the outdoors and play should continue throughout a person’s life. As a child I spent more time outdoors than in, playing with mud, climbing trees and foraging.
Little has changed and I am still in my element when in natural surroundings.
Early this year I embarked upon my forest school leader’s qualification and now I am delighted to have joined the TWiG team.
Abi Smith – Forest School Facilitator
‘It takes a village to raise a child’, that’s exactly what Forest School and being a Forest School Facilitator means to me.
Being part of a community, which holds space for children and young people to explore their curiosities, embrace their individuality and interests, develop meaningful life skills and capture the magic of childhood is nothing short of a privilege.
My journey began in 2011 when I attended a Forest School with my new-born son, desperate to find that promised village and reconnect with my love of the outdoors. I soon saw how nature and unadulterated play supported my children’s development and nurtured their self-awareness and imagination.
It wasn’t until my children were older and entered into mainstream schooling did, I realise how much we missed and needed the wholesome community and longed to be a part of it again, cue Level 2 and 3 Forest School Leader training in 2020.
I am so proud to be a part of the TWiG community and being able to spend the days supporting young people and learning alongside them ensuring they feel valued, seen and accepted.
Christina Taylor – Forest School Facilitator
Christina’s (a.k.a Muddy Pixie) Forest School journey started at Nurture By Nature Forest School CIC in 2014 where she lived off-grid in a shepherd’s hut whilst working as a Head Ranger and Forest School Leader. Here she supported bushcraft and greenwood work sessions, archery and pizza parties, parent and toddler groups, school trips, home education and woodland management.
Qualifying at a Level 3 Forest School Leader in 2015, her work took her to numerous Primary Schools across Norfolk, Wymondham College, Norfolk Young Farmers, GroWild and Wheatfen Forest School CIC where she continues to support Saturday Forest School Clubs. Christina also instructed archery, stand up paddle boarding and bushcraft with The Canoeman and Rooted in Nature CIC.
As a Level 3 Forest School Leader she values the importance of continuous professional development and along with a range of SEND training, she completed Early Years Initial Teacher Training in 2021.
Her passion in scaffolding alternative provision has brought her to The Wilderness Grove to support alternative provision from September 2023.
Sorrel Muggridge – Forest School Facilitator
I am Sorrel, I have been working as a Forest School Practitioner since 2016 leading groups of children in both school settings and in woodland spaces. I currently run groups with children and teenagers in 3 different settings.
I enjoy being in wild spaces and the wonderful discoveries and encounters that you experience there.
Forest school has expanded my understanding of our world and I feel this is an opportunity everyone should have the chance to enjoy. I find the woodland an inspiring place to be creative. I especially enjoy creating characters from natural materials like clay and sticks letting their properties guide what we make. I like hanging out in the hammocks letting our imaginations take us to the treetops or get busy planting and foraging by the stream. I love to tell stories and play games.
Outside of Forest School I work as an artist making creative opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy. I am always looking for opportunities to expand my skills and the ideas and interests of the children often guide my learning, campfire cooking is a skill I am enjoying expanding this year
Diane Appleton – Forest School Facilitator
After attending a forest school session at my children’s primary school, I quickly found my love for nature and the great outdoors. I became a parent volunteer and finally decided to swap my high heels for wellies and have a complete career change. Since then, I have been working at the local school for 5 years, assisting in forest school sessions for years 2 to year 6 whilst working towards my Forest School Level 3 qualification. I first joined The Wilderness Grove team as a volunteer back in 2021 and have never looked back.
I am passionate about supporting children to build their self-esteem, take supported risks and connect with nature. In a changing world, I believe that children have a voice and deserve to be able to learn at their own pace through child-led play. I feel very privileged to be a part of their forest school journey.
I love to forage and use seasonal flora and fruits to make balms, cordials and cakes for family and friends. I am part of a working party with Norfolk Wildlife Trust and enjoy helping with conservation projects throughout the year. I also enjoy helping at our local scout group.
Jessica Craske – Forest School Facilitator
I’m Jess, a proud Mum of two Labradors and six chickens. I’ve always loved spending time in nature, I grew up by the sea and spent most of my time exploring the marshes and getting muddy!
I started my career as a teacher, specialising I’m EYFS and KS1 as I loved the child-led aspect of this age group within schools. As I moved through my career I discovered Forest School, which further solidified my belief that learning and play should be child-led. Whilst completing my Level 3 Forest School training,
I handed in my notice as a teacher and have moved towards facilitating learning and development outside the four walls of the classroom. I currently offer home-ed help, teach yoga and am looking forward to stepping foot into TWiG very soon!
I’m looking forward to building strong connections and spending lots of time exploring all that nature has to offer us!
Play Facilitators
Issy
Ellie
Issy
Issy is exceptional at facilitating play and creating an environment where all children feel included and excepted. She has extensive knowledge of the woodland environment around her.
Jack
Ellie
Issy
Jack is our green woodwork enthusiast promoting survival skills and woodland management. He is at one with his environment, climbing, swinging and looking through the canopy.
Ellie
Ellie
Ellie
Ellie is all things creative. Her deep nature connection rooted in kindness and sensitivity, encourages peers to observe more closely and listen more carefully.
TWiG Forest School Dogs
Meet...
Millie (the brown Labrador and mum of the two black lab pups) is food obsessed and extremely gentle.
Fenrir (Fen, green collar) if you throw a ball or a stick, he will be your friend forever.
Odin (Odie, red collar) nicknamed Thunder Paws. He thinks he's a lap dog and NEEDS your snuggles.
Working Dogs
Millie, Fen and Odie are working Forest School dogs. The boys are in training so please give them jobs to do. They love to help carry things especially logs.
Millie has been a Forest School dog all her life and knows the ropes. Excuse the pun!
They are in the woodlands to interact with the children to provide therapeutic support and encourage play.
Customers are asked to respect that the dogs will at times need space and rest. They have a good level of training but will at times make mistakes.
Everyone at Forest School will be asked how comfortable they are around dogs and arrangements will be made accordingly.
We only have one dog in the woodland at one time to allow them to focus on their work.
We ask that everyone understands they will be sharing the woodland with our dogs and treat them with kindness.