Ep 54 - Conversation with Tom Bardon - Can curricula work in Forest School?

In this wide-ranging conversation, Lewis and Gemma welcome Tom Barden of Green Man Learning to unpack why he created the Wild Passport and how it offers another “arrow in the quiver” for outdoor educators. Together they explore the cultural roots of tool use, balancing learner-centred play with curriculum pressures, the ecological footprint of woodland sites, and the perennial question of what truly counts as Forest School. Along the way they swap stories about storm-felled trees, mindful knife-sharpening, leaving mainstream teaching, and the joys of subversive CPD that keeps curiosity alive. The result is a thoughtful look at progression without coercion—and at protecting the integrity of Forest School while giving schools realistic, flexible options.

⏱ Chapter Timings
00:00 – Oscar the cat, stormy context & introducing Tom Barden
00:50 – Storm Ciara fallout and costly woodland maintenance
02:19 – Knife-sharpening as mindful grind; factory-work musings
04:47 – Woodland size, erosion, rotation and site impact management
06:08 – Earthworms, environmental guilt and weighing learning vs ecology
08:16 – Tom’s route from community health to Forest School practice
11:32 – Drama teaching, play, and walking away from mainstream education
17:16 – Future-proof skills: adaptability, innovation and Forest School’s role
20:54 – Birth of the Wild Passport: practical progression without the labels
32:29 – Curriculum demands, protecting the term “Forest School” and flexible progression

🌲 Keywords: Wild Passport, Forest School integrity, outdoor curriculum, learner-centred progression, tool skills, woodland impact, knife safety, broad & balanced education, CPD for practitioners, child-led play

🔖 Hashtags:
#ForestSchool #WildPassport #OutdoorLearning #ChildLedPlay #CurriculumBalance #WoodlandManagement #CPD #NatureEducation #PlayBasedLearning #KnifeSkills

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