PODCAST · education
The Forest School Podcast
by Lewis Ames and Wem Southerden
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 and the outdoors.Through book reviews – interviews with experts, practitioners and authors – sharing our experience as educators and business owners – deep dives on fascinating topics –
Episodes
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Episode 252: Inessential Weirdness
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 saga (someone reported me to Ofsted over a...
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Ep 251 - Preparing and Procrastinating
In this episode, Wem and I chatted about feedback from previous episodes, preparing for incoming winter seasons, and whether it's possible to 'procrastinate' at Forest School. www.patreon.com/theforestschoolpodcast to support us www.children-of-the-forest.com for CPD weekends and more!
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Ep 250 - Fires in a Heatwave?
This week Wem and I get into something that's been rumbling through forest school Facebook groups all summer: fires, heatwaves, drought, and where individual choice ends and collective responsibility begins. It started with a post about forest school leaders lighting fires during the current UK...
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Ep 249 - Clowning & Forest School w/ Ellie J A.K.A ClownDaddy
This week I'm joined by Ellie J, known online as Clown Daddy. I first came across her work online and knew straight away that forest school leaders and outdoor educators would get something out of hearing how she thinks about performance, status and play. Ellie trained as an actress at NYU before...
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Ep 248 - Asserting Boundaries
This week, Wem and I chatted about Boundary setting and picked through Kami Orange's book of boundary scripts and frameworks!
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Ep 247 - Intra-Relational Behaviour Support.
What if the secret to better behaviour support in forest school isn't focusing on the child at all? Lewis and Wem are back for a wide-ranging, woodland-based chat that opens with lime plaster, kilts, and a mosaic pizza oven before diving into some genuinely rich territory: what does it actually...
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Ep 246 - Relational Capability Approach w/ Dr Wendy Russell
This one is special. Wem and I got to sit down with Dr Wendy Russell, independent play researcher, senior research fellow at the University of Gloucestershire, and 50 years into a career that started on an adventure playground apprenticeship in the 1970s. I came away from this conversation…
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Ep 245 - Folklore and Neo-Enclosure w/ Nik Elvy
In this podcast, Nik Elvy, an artist, outdoor educator, and researcher, shares insights on neo-enclosure, folk traditions, and the impact of history on contemporary society. We explored themes of land access, cultural heritage, and social justice, offering a deep dive into how history and…
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Ep 244 - Sustainable Soil Alliance
Unlocking the Secrets of Soil: An Interview with Ellen Fay from the Sustainable Soils Alliance Discover the fascinating world beneath our feet with Ellen Fay, a passionate advocate for soil health and biodiversity. In this episode, we delve into what soil really is, why it's vital for our planet,...
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Ep 243 - New Site, PHDs & Slop Chat!
We recorded this one outside in the sunshine, which felt almost unreasonably good. Wem and I had a lot to catch up on and approximately no plan for how to do it. This is what came out.Wem started with a holiday debrief from the Picos de Europa in northern Spain. A campervan, the mountains, storks...
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Ep 242 - Expectations VS Reality in 2026
This episode explores the realities of forest school leadership, challenging idealized expectations with authentic experiences. Hosts Wem and Lewis share insights on community building, industry myths, and the importance of authenticity in outdoor education. keywords forest school, outdoor...
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Ep 241 - Ludobotany II: Loose Parts
This episode explores the fascinating world of loose parts in outdoor play, focusing on natural resources like trees, seeds, and bark. Discover criteria for selecting the best loose parts, the importance of seasonality, and creative ideas for outdoor activities. loose parts, outdoor play, natural...
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Ep 240 - The Score by Thi Nguyen
Keywords weather, play, philosophy, achievement, agency, creativity, metrics, education, value capture, qualitative assessment Summary In this conversation, Lewis and Wem explore various themes surrounding play, philosophy, and the impact of metrics on society. They discuss the importance of play...
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Ep 239 - Community Woods with Susan Barker from Avon Needs Trees
Keywords tree planting, community engagement, climate action, Avon Needs Trees, sustainable practices, tree care, volunteerism, Echo Wood, environmental awareness, biodiversity Summary In this engaging conversation, Wem speaks with Susan Barker from Avon Needs Trees about the importance of...
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Ep 238: 238 - Play Prophecies
In this episode, Wem and Lewis explore the philosophical and societal implications of play, discussing how it shapes childhood development and adult behavior. They delve into the idea that play is not merely a preparation for adulthood but a vital part of life itself, influencing social...
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Episode 237 — Tree Books! What to read, why it matters, and how it shapes practice
Summary From Westonbirt inspirations to field guides and plant-hunter epics, Lewis and Gemma pull 13 tree books and ask how reading changes woodland practice. Hear about ships with greenhouses, coppice cycles, charcoal burning, fungal networks, minimalist nursery design, mapping with old OS…
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Ep 236 - "The Land" Documentary
In this punchy, practice-rich episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem unpack The Land — a 2016 documentary about an adventure playground in Wrexham — as screened via the Boston Children’s Museum panel. They dig into filming that sits inside the play, what “looks like a dump” can…
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Ep 235 - PARS Playworking with Dr Shelley Newstead
In this lively, idea-packed episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem chat with Dr Shelley Newstead about the roots and reality of playwork. Shelley traces adventure playgrounds from Sorensen in Denmark to Lady Allen in post-war Britain, then explains her PARS playwork model that helps...
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Ep 234 - Ludobotany 1: Tree Climbing
In this lively Ludo Botany special, we explore tree climbing as play, practice, and design. Lewis brings fresh research on branch collars, spacing, and load strength while Gemma brings lived experience on how different trees invite different kinds of movement. From laurel and rhododendron “nest”...
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233 - Who can be a Failure at Forest School and What can they fail at? W Lily Horseman
In this lively, reflective episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis, Wem, and guest Lily pick apart the famous “three look afters” and ask a bigger question: who’s allowed to fail at Forest School, and how do we help people fail well? From cartilage kneecaps and Mr Potato Head jokes to space...
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Ep 232 - Biodiversity on our Bodies!
In this lively, idea packed episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem move from Halloween chatter to a full nature reset. Wales waterfalls, Pen y Fan, Regent’s Park squirrels, and the deer rut at Richmond Park set the scene for a deeper dive. Lewis picks up Ludo Botany again and invites...
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Ep 231 - Planning Experiments and Japanese Nursery Architecture
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 timetables for an Eight Shields-inspired planning…
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Ep 230- We Need Your Art: creativity, failure, and celebration in Forest School
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 Something as a springboard, they unpack how...
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Ep 229 - Save Ringsfield Hall with Mell Harrison of Kinda Education
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, and the immediate ways listeners can help....
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228 - Creating Play Taxonomies with Max Alexander
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 isolated young people to authentic play, why…
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Ep 227 - Inconvenient Resilience
In this warm, idea-packed episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem move from personal updates to a deep dive on resilience. Using Looby McNamara’s Cultural Emergence and Chris Johnstone’s framing, they explore recovery, adaptive, transformative, and spreading resilience. They challenge...
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Ep 226 - Bog Fashion at Forest School with Nicole DeRushie
In this warm and curious episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Gemma sit down with historian and fibre artist Nicole DeRushie to explore her new book, Bog Fashion: Recreating Bronze and Iron Age Clothes. The conversation traces Nicole’s path from Forest School leader to public…
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Ep 225 - What defines 'Ready for School'? w/ Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg
In this lively and wide-ranging episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem are joined by Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg for a passionate conversation about early years education, authentic child development, and how political targets can squeeze the joy out of childhood. From the UK…
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Ep 224 - Green Burials and Forest School Farewells w/ The Modern Mortician
In this thought-provoking episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis speaks with Melissa, widely known as The Modern Mortician, to explore the deep intersections between death care, nature connection, and community learning. Beginning with light-hearted bug encounters and moving into meaningful...
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Ep 223 - Combating Ash Dieback w/Dr Richard Buggs from Kew Gardens
In this wonder-filled episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem speak with Dr Richard Buggs—geneticist at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Queen Mary University London—about ash dieback, DNA sequencing, and the unseen resilience of trees. With clarity and warmth, Richard explains how...
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Ep 222 - The Joys and Shapes of Autistic Play by Max Alexander
In this warm and wonderfully meandering episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem dive into The Joys and Shapes of Autistic Play by Max Alexander. Nestled among tangents about shouting sparrowhawks, jewel-encrusted slugs, and beloved sticks, they explore how Max's taxonomy of autistic...
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Ep 221 - Post-Humanism in the Woods: With Dr Jo Hume
In this deep-dive episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem are joined by Dr Jo Hume to explore the rich and expanding world of Forest School research. Starting with nettle seeds and caffeine journeys, the conversation quickly flows into Jo’s unique academic path—from early years…
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Ep 220 - Is 'Leave No Trace' denying us a place in nature? with Danny English
In this deep and meandering episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis, Wem, and storyteller Danny English explore the layered meanings behind the phrase “Leave No Trace.” What begins as a discussion on outdoor ethics soon becomes a rich meditation on ecological grief, language, pedagogy…
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Ep 219 - Giants and Beasts with Ruth Webb: Part 2
In this richly reflective and gently irreverent episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem are joined once again by artist and activist Ruth Webb of The Lost Giants. From slug cohabitation to giant curlews, this episode weaves together humour, art, neurodivergence, community ritual, and...
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Ep 218 - Giants and Beasts with Ruth Webb
In this joyful and wide-ranging episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem sit down with artist, activist and Forest School leader Ruth Webb. Known for her giant puppets, folk beasts and street processions, Ruth shares the rich history and creative power of giant-making in the UK. The...
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Ep 217 - Tangents, Shrews and Robin Ince
In this lively and tangential episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Gemma reflect on an evening spent seeing Robin Ince speak about neurodivergence, ADHD, and the importance of passion. From rogue pygmy shrews to ultraviolet birds and eccentric geniuses, the conversation weaves in and…
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Ep 216 - Ecology and Wildlife Legal Protections with Tilly Tilbrook
In this jam-packed episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem are joined by ecologist Tilly Tilbrook to unpack the truth behind the controversial Planning and Infrastructure Bill and its implications for UK wildlife. Tilly brings decades of ecological fieldwork, policy experience, and...
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Ep 215 - Culture Soup and a Catch-Up
In this joyful, wide-ranging episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Wem reunite to reflect on everything from folk rituals and land access to academic shifts and experimental puppetry. They share stories of Devon’s eccentric festivals, the power of whimsy, and the Supreme Court decision...
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Ep 214: Consistency is a Myth
In this episode, Lewis and Wem dig deep into the concept of consistency—a term often upheld as sacred in education and parenting, but is it all it’s cracked up to be? They explore the tension between consistency of routine vs consistency of relationship, how being overly consistent can lead to...
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Ep 213: Is making kids tidy up a part of Forest School?
In this episode, Lewis and Wem are joined by Justine from Curious and Kind Nature Play in Florida. The conversation began when all three spoke at a webinar hosted by Peter Gray and quickly turned into a shared curiosity around the tensions of tidying up in play-based education. This is not a…
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Ep 212: Does Forest School need more 'Clean' Language?
🌿 What Is Clean Language & Should You Use It Outdoors? In this introspective solo episode, Lewis reflects on Contempt to Curiosity by Caitlin Walker—an exploration of Clean Language, group metaphors, and truly non-judgemental communication. What begins as a quiet Friday morning in the woods...
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Ep 211: 'Total Observation' isn't helping childhood
🌳 Forest School vs the Panopticon: Who’s Watching the Children? In this solo episode, Lewis dives deep into the haunting metaphor of the Panopticon—a 1700s prison designed for total surveillance—and how its legacy lives on in modern classrooms, school playgrounds, and even parenting styles. ⚖️...
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Ep 210: 👥🧠Groups have memories, but communities have history. 🌲📚
This week, Lewis is solo in the woods reflecting on a big question: what makes a Forest School site feel alive with history? 🌿 He explores the difference between groups that share memories and communities that carry history, drawing on stories, objects, rituals, and routines from nearly a decade...
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Ep 209: ‘Forecasting’ or being ‘Triggered’? How do you react to uncomfortable play?
🎭 Are You Triggered by Play? Why It Matters. Ever watched children playing and felt uneasy about what was happening? Whether it’s rough-and-tumble, rule-breaking, or risky play, adults have deep-seated responses to certain types of play—often without realising it. But is our discomfort helping…
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Ep 208: 🌳A review of Sandi Toksvig’s Great British Woodland Project!
Ever dreamed of buying your own woodland? 🌲 In this episode, we dive into Sandi Toksvig’s Great British Woodland Revival and what it really takes to restore a forest. From unexpected costs (£500 for EVERYTHING?!) to the emotional connection of managing land, we break down what this show got...
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Ep 207: The Art Of Folk Traditions: A Conversation with Ben Edge
🎙️ Folklore, Ritual & Art: A Chat with Ben Edge This week, we're joined by the incredible Ben Edge, artist, filmmaker, and author of Folklore Rising, for a deep dive into British folklore, ritual, and the role of art in preserving tradition. 🌿🎭 From Morris dancing in trainers to building new...
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Ep 206: Nature Saturation: Can You Have Too Much?
🌿 Nature Saturation: Can You Have TOO Much Nature? In this episode, we dive into the idea ofNature Saturation – can there betoo much nature in outdoor learning? 🤔 From Forest School names to nature-themed everything, when does immersive nature connection becometoo much of a good thing? 🌲Key...
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Ep 205 - How Schools Push Kids to Burnout: A Conversation with Dr Naomi Fisher
This week, we sit down withDr Naomi Fisher, psychologist and co-author ofThe Teenager’s Guide to Burnout, to discuss how modern schooling, social media, and pressure to achieve are pushing teens towards burnout. 😰 🎒Key topics in this episode: What burnoutreally is & how it differs from anxiety…
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Ep 204: Season 2 Begins: Lone Working, Weird Job Titles & Fart Consultancy
Welcome back to The Forest School Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the realities of lone working in outdoor education, the unexpected (and hilarious) responsibilities of a Forest School leader, and the importance of connection in a role that can often feel isolating. 🌲 Key topics in this...
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Ep 203: How Transparent Should You Be With Your Planning? With Lily Horseman
Episode Summary In this lively and wide-ranging episode, Lewis sits down with Lily Horseman (Kindling Playwork) to explore how transparent you should be when planning Forest School sessions. They discuss the balance between being honest with children, parents, and fellow educators while…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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 and the outdoors.Through book reviews – interviews with experts, practitioners and authors – sharing our experience as educators and business owners – deep dives on fascinating topics –
HOSTED BY
Lewis Ames and Wem Southerden
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Forest School Podcast have?
The Forest School Podcast currently has 256 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Forest School Podcast about?
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...
How often does The Forest School Podcast release new episodes?
The Forest School Podcast publishes regularly with 256 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Forest School Podcast?
You can listen to The Forest School Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Forest School Podcast?
The Forest School Podcast is created and hosted by Lewis Ames and Wem Southerden.
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