Forest School Lead
Silcoates School
WF2 0PD
- Expired
- Salary:
- competitive
- Job type:
- Full Time, Part Time, Permanent
- Start date:
- 01 September 2026
- Apply by:
- 16 March 2026
Job overview
Silcoates is a successful independent co-educational day school with a long and proud history. The school is set in 60 acres of grounds in Wrenthorpe, near Wakefield, within easy reach of the M1 and M62, offering an all-through, fully co-educational day school experience for children from 2 to 18. We achieve excellent academic results and offer a broad and stimulating variety of co-curricular activities. We are seeking to appoint a qualified and experienced Forest School Lead in our Junior School.
The role involves leading, developing and delivering the Forest School curriculum for children from Reception to Year 6, supporting pupils’ academic, social, emotional and physical development. You will be responsible for ensuring that Forest School sessions are delivering clear learning objectives and that the setting is safe and well run.
You should be a Level 3 Forest School practitioner and have experience in designing and delivering your own sessions independently. You should have a good understanding of the health and safety and risk management aspects of Forest School and be able to demonstrate familiarity with appropriate learning strategies, for example in numeracy and literacy.
You will work closely with class teachers and teaching assistants in the delivery of sessions, so you must be able to develop good working relationships. An ability to develop good relationships with our children and their parents is also essential. You should be an ambassador for Forest School and the opportunities it can offer our pupils and be able to show your passion and enthusiasm for outdoor education.
The role is permanent. Core hours of Forest School delivery are 10am to 3pm daily, but the role can also be offered on a full time basis by combining additional duties of supervision and classroom support, depending on your skills and experience. The role is offered on a term time only basis, term length being 35 weeks per annum.
Please note that we are unable to accept CVs. An application form is available on our website: https://www.silcoates.org.uk/key-information/vacancies/
Silcoates School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All appointments are made in accordance with safer recruitment practices and the statutory guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education. Online checks will be carried out on all shortlisted candidates, and all appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and checks regarding suitability to work with children. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and DBS.
Closing date: Monday 16th March, 9am
Attached documents
About Silcoates School
Silcoates is a 3 to 18 school which seeks to bring out the very best in every pupil through instilling in them a love of learning and a willingness to seize every opportunity they are given. Whilst many of our pupils begin their life at Silcoates in the Junior School, others join aged 11 and 16 (and at many points in-between!). This continuity serves to embed the skills and qualities that make our pupils enthusiastic and effective learners. It also ensures that they develop strong and life-long friendships with their peers. New pupils to the School are given an especially warm welcome and they soon feel valued members of our community.
Whilst we are academically selective, the pupils have a broad range of abilities and needs and thus we have a curriculum that becomes increasingly flexible as pupils develop their own strengths and aptitudes. However, the most academic will succeed at Silcoates, with recent leavers obtaining places at Cambridge and Durham universities and medical school. The breadth and variety of our curriculum is matched by the range of activities on offer outside the classroom. Having all the School on one site enables the pupils in the Junior School to benefit from the vast array of facilities on offer, from the all-weather playing surfaces to the indoor swimming pool to the fully-equipped Drama Studio.
Sport and exercise are important features of life at Silcoates. Boys are introduced to our core sports of rugby, hockey and cricket in the Junior School and, due to our size, most have the opportunity to play for the School throughout their career; girls are equally as competitive in hockey and netball.
All pupils are given every encouragement to express themselves in the full range of artistic activities and push themselves way beyond their comfort zones through going on trips and expeditions abroad. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme is very well established and several pupils achieve Gold every year. ‘Grit’ and determination are also evident on our biennial expedition to Tanzania.
The principal accolade that many parents and former parents afford the School is that it is a warm and welcoming community and that their children make friendships here that last them a lifetime.
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