Meet Jess , founder and lead teacher at Fresh Air Learning. Jess qualified as a primary school teacher in 2008 and has worked with children of all ages from Nursery through to Year 9. With a particular interest in supporting holistic learning with close links to the outdoors, Jess undertook her Level 3 Forest School training in September 2016 and became a qualified Forest School practitioner a year later.
Undertaking her Beach Leader training in 2018, she has also gained certificates in Pediatric and Outdoor First Aid as well as safeguarding.
Jess has a passion and natural flair for working with children. She is knowledgeable and keen to engage all ages with the world around us with a particular focus on the coastal and forest environments.
As the team has grown, Jess now acts in an advisory role for Fresh Air Learning, supporting the team.
Jess developed and led the coastal curriculum at a local independent school, spent time in China delivering Forest School to children there and has worked alongside fellow forest school leaders in Malta. Since establishing Fresh Air Learning in 2019, she has grown the offer to include specialist alternative provision as well as Forest School and after school clubs.
This is Helen. She is a Level 3 Forest School Leader. Helen has been involved in education for many years and discovered Forest School through a love of the outdoors. She used to lead the gardening club at a local school and is passionate about growing things, especially food to eat!
Helen joined Fresh Air Learning as a trainee Forest School Leader with a view to developing her skills as she completed the training course. Now fully qualified, she leads her own sessions at a local Primary School as well as running after school clubs. She has an amazing knowledge of the plants in the woodland so don't forget to ask her about how to spot the difference between an oak and sycamore tree.
Holly joined Fresh Air Learning in Autumn 2022. She is a qualified Level 3 Forest School leader. Holly joins us with a wealth of early years knowledge having set up and led her own independent school in India. Upon returning to the UK, due to the Covid pandemic, Holly has turned her focus to Forest School and is also a private children's nanny. She runs our Forest School sessions in local schools and is developing her knowledge of children with ASD and the benefits of their involvement in Forest School.
Holly works in a comforting and "listening first" role with the children, supporting them to achieve their goal.
Katie is our qualified play leader and Early Years specialist (EYFS). Katie delivers high quality outdoor play experiences with our younger children. Often working alongside a qualified Forest School leader, she supports children to develop their play interests and get the maximum benefit for the sessions they attend. Katie has made the decision to train as a Forest School leader and hopes to complete the course in 2026.
Katie brings a life time of EYFS experience to the team and also has a wonderful knowledge of British wild birds and is a keen gardener.
Claire is qualified primary teacher with a career of experience to bring to FAL! She uses her knowledge of the National Curriculum to deliver specialised learning opportunities to children who are unable to attend a school full time. Working with the seasons, Claire creates a bespoke curriculum to ensure enjoyment of learning and valid progression of knowledge and skills.
Often working with children who are transitioning between mainstream school and specialist provision, Claire works alongside the child's needs and abilities to provide opportunities for them to develop their skills at a pace that is right for them. A bespoke education using nature and the outdoors as inspiration.
Hannah joined Fresh Air Learning in 2022 having volunteered alongside Jess as part of her college work experience. Hannah qualified as a 3 Forest School leader in 2025. She has a real passion for opening up the natural world to individuals with additional needs including ASD. Hannah works in a calm and supportive manner to enable children and teens to become familiar with the world around them and build on new physical and social skills.
Helen joined FAL in 2024 as a trainee forest school leader. She is a qualified primary teacher with many years of experience working with children. Helen has a passion for the outdoors and often spends her weekends walking with her husband in local woodland. Helen hopes to complete her training in 2025 and currently delivers forest school provision and 1:1 tutoring with children who find the regular classroom environment a challenge.
Alex decided to retrain as a forest school leader following her previous career in the military. She joined FAL in 2024 as a trainee forest school leader and works with children in schools delivering a forest school programme. Alex has a deep understanding of trauma in childhood and specialises in working with children who have experienced this themselves. She spends her weekends walking at the beach or in local woodland, a favourite for her is the New Forest. Alex brings a wealth of project management skills to Fresh Air Learning and has been developing her practice alongside qualified forest school leaders within the team.
Izzy has a keen interest in learning outdoors. She has raised her child with an outdoor focus and loves her home animals, spending time at the beach and working on a small farm holding. She holds a CEVAS qualification, sharing knowledge of farming with children. She works alongside children on a 1:1 basis supporting their needs with our alternative provision along with an after school club at a local school and leads our Tiddlers in the Trees sessions in Gosport.
Izzy spends her spare time having fun with her family outdoors!
Adele works to support our Forest School leaders and guide children who find engagement in our sessions tricky. She has spent 6 years as a school based LSA and observed first hand the benefits of children spending time outside of the classroom to gain control of their emotions and regulate their thoughts so they are then ready to formally learn back in the classroom.
Adele worked as an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) in a local school and therefore has a deepened knowledge of the support children need in order to overcome the big feelings they face when challenged. She is also able to support children who has longer term emotional needs .
She works on a 1:1 basis as well as in a supporting role.