Qualification and assessment information for Level 6 students undertaking training in Scotland
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Workbooks & session overviews
Course descriptors
Awarding body and accreditation information
Marking, moderation & certification
Complains and appeals procedure
Trouble shooting
Workbooks
FOLA workbook guidance
FOLA workbooks 2020
FOLA workbooks autumn 2019
FOLA workbooks spring 2019
Workbooks 2018
Course Session Overviews
Online Sessions
Woodland Sessions (3 days)
Session 1 >
Session 2 >
Session 3 >
Winter Woodland Sessions (4 days due to fewer daylight hours)
Session 1 >
Session 2 >
Session 3 >
Session 4 >
Preparing for the woodland sessions
The tips and suggestions on these documents will help you prepare to get the most out of your sessiosn in the woods.
Course descriptors
FSTC are delighted to be adopting the new, improved, Scotland-specific Forest School award system, called the ‘Forest and Outdoor Learning Awards’ (FOLA), having worked with Newbattle Abbey College to develop and pilot them.
The awards will support Curriculum for Excellence and the Attainment Challenge in Scotland. They also seek to support the development of skills for Learning, Life and Work to meet the complex demands of a globalised society.
At level 6 the award is called Assistant Forest School and Outdoor Learning Leader.
The Level 6 modular course is made up of 5 days of training in total. Level 6 students are required to attend all course components, unless they have previously undertaken a Forest School qualification and are 'topping up' their qualification.
Candidates are assessed on competency with using two tools, two knots and fire over the course of module 2.
To complete the qualification:
Level 6 students then assist a qualified leader on three consecutive sessions of a Forest School programme. (Students are responsible for arranging their own placement. FSTC can sometimes provide introductions. Students can contact local networks (click here for more info).
Level 6 students complete the course workbooks (see above).
Awarding body and accreditation information
Our course is the SCQF Level 6 Forest School and Outdoor Leaning Assistant Award. It is awarded by Newbattle Abbey College. This course is in line with the recommendations of the Forest School Association, the professional body for Forest School in the UK.
The level 6 accreditation is composed of 6 units, which are broken down into learning outcomes and performance criteria. To gain the qualification, students must complete and evidence all performance criteria. The total number of level 6 credits for this qualification is 6. The notional learning hours are 60.
Assessment methods
FSTC assesses these criteria in different ways.
Tutors complete obsevation records during training days.
Candiates complete two written workbooks, perhaps using material from a reflective journal.
Candidates are given opportunities for verbal and group assessment towards some workbook questions during the training course. This depends on time available and student preferences.
Candidates must provide evidence of assisting on three consecutive Forest School sessions from a programme run by a qualified Forest School leader.
Marking, moderation and certification
Some of the evidence for the qualification will be assessed during the modules - for example practical demonstrations of certain skills, and small group presentations. Your tutor/assessor will be recording this evidence as the course goes on and will provide you with feedback on these elements.
The written workbooks given during modules can be completed electronically and then emailed to your tutor for marking (dates for submission of these are contained within your coursework folder). Your tutor will mark these electronically and email you feedback on your work. You can choose to submit printed or handwritten paper copies of assignments by post. The postal address is given within your coursework folder. Please ensure that you keep copies of all your assignments before posting.
If further work is required from you to complete any criteria, your tutor/assessor will let you know and you will be given a further opportunity to provide this evidence (e.g. to submit further written evidence or to demonstrate a skill at a future date).
Moderation
The moderator's role is to ensure that FSTC tutor/assessors are marking appropriately, fairly and consistently. FSTC has four moderation dates per year. Our moderators assess random samples of coursework from the batches that our tutors put forward. The moderator occassionally requires your course tutor to ask you for additional work at this stage. Once the moderator is satified, your course tutor will contact you to confirm that you have been awarded your qualification. The moderator will apply for your certificate and your course tutor will forward it to you. The process of certification can take up to 12 weeks - we thank you for your patience!
Complains and appeals procedures
We expect that the vast majority of issues that may arise during the training can be adequately resolved between the tutor and student.
Should you feel that this process has not worked for you then FSTC will act as an independent party to investigate further and broker a solution.
FSTC can be contacted by email at admin@forestschoolscotland.co.uk and students should use this opportunity to give a brief explanation of the background to the issue and provide contact details so that FSTC can contact you.
FSTC will allocate a tutor who is not involved with your course to investigate the issue. This tutor will seek information from both the student and the tutor as part of their investigation before determining a solution to the issue. This may involve arranging meetings with both the student and tutor. Details of the solution will be communicated in writing to both student and tutor.
We would expect the process to be completed within 4 weeks of the initial student email to FSTC.
Appeal
Where this resolution is not acceptable to the student they will also have the opportunity to raise the issue with the awarding body. Our Awarding Body is Newbattle Abbey College and Judy Paul is the person to contact. She can be contacted as follows:
Newbattle Abbey College
Judy Paul, Forest College Coordinator
Newbattle Abbey College,
Newbattle Road,
Dalkeith,
Midlothian
EH22 3LL
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Trouble shooting
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