Forest School Leader Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

Most Forest School Leader interviews in the UK follow a pattern, and knowing it beats guessing. Below are eight questions from our bank of 12, each with a note on what the interviewer is really after.

Eight Forest School Leader interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. Why do you want to be a Forest School leader, and what do you think makes Forest School different from a normal outdoor lesson?

Why they ask: To test understanding of the ethos and the Forest School Association principles.

2. What are the six Forest School principles, and how do you apply them when planning a programme?

Why they ask: Principles define what counts as Forest School and are central to practice.

3. How do you carry out a risk-benefit assessment for a Forest School site and sessions, and how does this differ from a standard risk assessment?

Why they ask: Safety management is central to the role and distinguishes good practice.

4. What qualifications and first aid training should a Forest School leader hold, and what do you need to check before leading sessions?

Why they ask: Establishes professional competence and compliance.

5. How do you manage tools and fire safely with a group of children?

Why they ask: Tools and fire are high-risk activities and are central to the Forest School experience.

6. What health risks are specific to woodland sessions, and how do you manage them?

Why they ask: Tests awareness of outdoor-specific hazards such as ticks and weather.

7. During a session a child climbs higher into a tree than you agreed and refuses to come down. What do you do?

Why they ask: Tests the balance between supported risk and safety.

8. Tell me about a time you saw a child grow in confidence or resilience through Forest School.

Why they ask: Shows impact and the ability to observe and evidence progress.

A sample answer to question 1

Why do you want to be a Forest School leader, and what do you think makes Forest School different from a normal outdoor lesson?

I have seen how outdoor time changes children, especially those who struggle in a classroom. A child who is quiet indoors can become a confident leader when she is building a shelter or lighting a fire with support. What makes Forest School different from an ordinary outdoor lesson is its ethos and structure. It is a long-term process of regular sessions, ideally over a term or more, in the same woodland or natural space, so children form a relationship with the place and develop at their own pace. It is learner-centred, so children's interests shape what happens rather than a fixed lesson plan, and the leader facilitates rather than directs. It promotes holistic development, including confidence, resilience and social skills, and it offers supported risk, such as using tools or climbing, with trained practitioners. A one-off trip to the woods or a lesson outdoors does not meet those principles. I want to be a leader who protects that ethos, because it is easy for it to be diluted into activities-based sessions.

Common mistake to avoid: Describing it as just playing outside; ignoring the need for regular sessions

Want the rest?

Full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 12 questions are on the Forest School Leader interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.