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Parents

Over the years, FSC staff have set up informal regionally based groups which meet and run weekend camps occasionally. If you wish to join in the activities of one of these groups please contact the enquiries officer on our contacts page.

Join us for activities ranging from coppicing, hedging and pond management to path laying, building bridges, constructing compost toilets and stiles, even repairing and renovating farm buildings. We recently built an island! No special qualifications are needed and it’s a great opportunity to try your hand at something new or to hone existing skills. We also enjoy good food, good company and starry evenings around the fire.

These camps run on similar lines to small standing camps and make a good introduction to FSC for newcomers. Children under 18 are welcome with their parent or guardian; families bringing younger children are asked to include at least one adult per child. Supervision of children is the responsibility of their parents or guardians. 

There are no camp fees except a small contribution to cover food, usually about £5 per day. There is also no organised travel, so attendees make their own way to the site. Full location details are sent out in advance and most sites are not far from public transport and a friendly lift. 

Weekend camps run from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. Bring your normal kit for camping, plus old clothes, work boots and gloves. Enrolments are normally managed in the four weeks before the camp, during which time we circulate those who have previously shown interest in attendance.

For more information or to enrol please contact the FSC Skills & Conservation Camps Secretary at conservation@fsc.org.uk.

Camps in 2024

We are hoping to run a camp in Berkshire in Spring 2024, if you are interested in being involved please contact the FSC Skills and Conservation camps secretary by email: conservation@fsc.org.uk

Many staff have grown up with Forest School Camps and others have joined hearing about it through word of mouth. Everyone who staffs has been trained in childcare and child protection. If a member of staff has not camped for 10 years they will be asked to retrain to make sure they have been updated on any new FSC policies.

All FSC staff are required to have an up to date enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before they can be enrolled on our camps (this is standard procedure for anyone working with children or vulnerable adults). We continue to also operate our own internal procedures to ensure the suitability of our staff, over and above the information obtained from DBS checks. We keep the process of DBS checking our staff under regular review.

At camps where parents and guardians are responsible for their children (Associates, Skills and Conservation) there may be adults who do not have a current DBS check.

Becoming FSC Staff

Please see Becoming FSC Staff for more details.

FSC runs some camps specifically geared towards disabled campers with learning difficulties or physical disabilities. These camps are shown on this page.

We also integrate disabled campers into other camps wherever possible. Our Inclusion Committee can advise parents or carers which camp would be the most suitable for a particular disabled camper. We realise that campers with disabilities may require one to one staffing ratio at camp, which we can facilitate.

If parents or carers feel that their child with disabilities would enjoy camping, we ask them not to let the cost deter them from applying, as FSC may be able to arrange financial assistance.

While we do support some adult disabled campers on FSC we have very limited capacity in this regard and we cannot guarantee that a disabled child will be able to continue camping with FSC beyond the age of 17.

Registering

We encourage parents or carers of new campers with disabilities or additional needs to fill out the Inclusion Information Sheetand email it to inclusion@fsc.org.uk where a member of the inclusion committee will be able to advise on our registration process. Please give as much information as possible about your child’s needs on the sheet. Please also include information about any EHCP report or equivalent if the child has one.

Social workers, teachers, care workers, foster parents and others wishing to enrol children who would benefit from our camps should contact inclusion@fsc.org.uk .

Applying for Camp

You should apply following the instructions in Applying for Camp. Any queries or questions please contact us at inclusion@fsc.org.uk

Inclusion Camps This year

You can find the list of inclusion camps being run this year here.

There is a Saturday meeting in London for parents, guardians and sponsors whose children are enrolled on the year’s camps held near the end of April.

This will be an opportunity for you to meet some of the staff of the camps and to find out more about FSC. Full details of the meeting will be sent to you with your offer of place in March.

If you do not have a child enrolled, but would like to attend the meeting, details may be obtained from the Enquiries Officer by emailing enquiries@fsc.org.uk after 1st April.

If you wish to cancel a place to camp please do this via your online FSC parent account as soon as possible. Please consider the other children on the waiting list, who you can give a place to.

For summer places, if you cancel before June 1st then you will receive a full refund minus an administrative fee of 10%. If you cancel after June 1st then we cannot give you a refund because we cannot guarantee filling your canceled place, due to the administrative burden on FSC volunteers. If you cancel after June 1st but have not yet paid any fees, then FSC can impose a camping ban for your child in the subsequent camping year. This is to bypass the administrative burden placed on FSC volunteers when dates are not met. At the discretion of the Children’s Secretary, a partial refund may be made in exceptional circumstances.

FSC does not insure you against cancellation. Holiday insurance would cover you against this risk (see the Insurance section). Such insurance could also cover loss or damage to a member’s equipment, for which FSC cannot accept responsibility.

We strongly encourage families to accept camp places if their children want to camp that year with FSC. If your child is not happy with their camp place, and wants to swap camps, then you must cancel their offer and join the waiting list for the camp(s) of their choice. Doing this as soon as possible will increase your child’s chance of being offered a different camp and avoid a potential financial loss from late cancellation. We will do what we can to accommodate those who follow this procedure. Waiting lists close two weeks before each camp starting date. For second fortnight summer camps, waiting lists close two weeks before the first fortnight camp starting date.

Children must be Registered before they can apply

Children must be registered with FSC before they can apply to camp with us. Please see Registering Your Child with FSC for more details.

FSC Programme and application Process

If you have applied to camp with us before, or if you registered as a new applicant before the date shown here, you will receive an email with a link to the programme in January.  Log into your account and follow the instructions to apply to camp.  You must apply by the published date for your application to be considered.

Application Deadline

Demand for places is very high and children whose applications are received after the deadline will be at a disadvantage. However, we place children to ensure that camps are balanced by age, sex and experience; and we are very over-subscribed, so some applicants applying before the deadline may still be disappointed.

When you will hear back

You should hear by late March whether you have a place on a weekend, Whitsun or summer camp. Applicants for earlier camps will be notified as soon as possible.

Application Restrictions

In order to give as many children as possible a camp place during the year, children under 12 will not be able to go on both a Whitsun camp and a summer camp. If you apply for both periods you should make it clear which is your first choice. Trailseekers, Trackers and Pathfinders may be able to go on both camps if spaces permit, but should still tell us which they prefer. All campers can apply for summer or Whitsun and any other camp.

If you are applying for more than one child you can tell us via your online application whether or not they want to camp together.

Application Prioritisation

Children who have camped before are placed ahead of new applicants. For new applicants, priority is given to siblings of children who have camped before. Children who have previously applied unsuccessfully will get priority over completely new applicants. Most first time campers camp as elves, and places are often full with experienced campers at older ages.

Most activity camps are for experienced FSC campers: children who have attended at least two FSC standing camps. This applies even if your child has camped with other organisations. Our standing camps impart the basic FSC philosophy essential for activity camps.

First fortnight camps are particularly over-subscribed for older campers. Trackers and Pathfinders who are flexible about camping in the second fortnight are more likely to be offered a place.

Disabled Campers

Please see Disabled Campers for information about how to apply.

Camp Fees

Fees for each camp are listed with the individual camp details.

It is FSC policy that no child will be refused a place due to financial circumstances. See Camper Support & Kit Support.

Fees include return fares from London. If a child misses the escorted party it is the parent or guardian’s responsibility to arrange his or her transport to the site at their own cost.


How enrolment works

How do I get my child on camp?

  1. Register your child as a potential new camper in September or October
  2. Once your registration is approved, you can apply online in January
  3. Accept your offer or choose to go on a waiting list for a different camp

It is also recommended that everyone reads the sections below:

What is the enrolment timetable?

Registration is open from 1st September to 30th October and we will tell you by the end of December whether we are able to accept your registration request.  If your child is registered as a potential camper then you can apply in January for camps running that calendar year. We aim to make all offers to camp from the middle of March (earlier for Easter camps). You then have up to three weeks to either accept your offer, or reject it and choose to go on a waiting list for a different camp. If we are unable to offer you any places, we will also let you know from the middle of March.

Registering

What is registration?

Registration is the process we use to record the details of children who want to camp. Children must be registered with us before they can apply to camp.

When do you accept registrations?

You can register a child between 1st September and 30th October. During that time you can find the registration form here.

What age children can be registered?

You can find the current age range we are accepting registrations by following this link. Children younger than this cannot be registered until they are old enough to camp independently.

Why is my child too old to register?

We are heavily oversubscribed. We think that it is fairer and kinder to tell children from the outset that they will not be offered a place on camp rather than allow them to register and apply unsuccessfully year after year.

How do I register my child who has a disability?

If your child has a disability please email inclusion@fsc.org.uk for support with your application. There’s more information in Disabled Campers.

Do I need to register again if they have camped before?

You only need to register each child once. However, your registration will be suspended if you do not make an application for two consecutive years. If you wish to reactivate a lapsed registration please email children@fsc.org.uk.

Do I need parental responsibility to register?

If you do not have parental responsibility for the child you want to register please email children@fsc.org.uk to discuss your circumstances.

Is there a fee to register?

No, registration is free of charge.

My child has been on Associate camps, do I need to register them?

Yes, you need to register your child in order for them to camp independently.

My child has been an FSC Pixie, do I need to register them?

No, you do not need to register your child in order for them to camp independently. They have already attended at least one standard camp so they are already on our children’s database.

I have a question about registration not covered here.

Please email children@fsc.org.uk with your question.

Applying

How do I find out about the camps?

You can view download the camp programme on our website from the first week of January here

Can I apply online?

Yes.  You apply by logging into your FSC account and choosing the camps you want to apply for.

How many camps can my child go on each year?

It depends on the age of the child and the time of the year. Children under 12 cannot go on both a Whitsun camp and a summer camp. If you apply for both periods, make it clear which is your first choice. Older children may go on both camps if spaces permit, but should still tell us which they prefer. All campers can apply for Easter and weekend camps as well as for summer or Whitsun. Being accepted on an Easter or weekend camp does not prejudice your child being placed on a summer or Whitsun camp.

How do I get a place the first time I apply?

Potential new campers in school years one, two and three (Elves) are often offered a place the first year they apply, particularly for Whitsun and summer camps. If you would like your child to be part of FSC, we strongly encourage you to accept this offer.

Most potential new campers in year four or above will not be placed in the first year they apply. Please be prepared for this and manage your child’s expectations appropriately. In subsequent years, if you apply for Easter and weekend camps, then your child is more likely to be offered a place. It would be very unusual for a new camper in year four or above to be offered a place on a Whitsun or summer camp due to heavy oversubscription in this age group.

How do you prioritise applications?

Children who have previously camped with us are placed ahead of new applicants. We then prioritise the registered siblings of existing campers. We also give children who have previously applied unsuccessfully priority over completely new applicants.

Can my child camp with their friend/their sibling?

We will always try to place siblings together, if you request it on their forms. We are unable to accept requests for friends to camp together.

Offers and Rejections

When will I find out if my child has a place?

If your child has a place on an Easter camp you will receive your offer by the middle of February. Offers for all other camps go out from the middle of March. You receive your offer by email, so it is vital that you have ensured our emails are not going to your junk or spam folders, and that you have notified us of any change to your email address.

I want to accept the place offered for my child, what do I do now?

You have up to two weeks to accept the offer to camp. To accept your offer, make a payment following the instructions in your offer email. Your camp organiser will be in touch by email and will ask for a signed consent form. If you do not return the consent form sent to you by the camp organiser within two weeks of your offer then we will assume you do not want the place and we will withdraw our offer.

I don’t want to accept the place offered to my child, what do I do now?

Log in to your account to decline the place you have been offered.

Can I hold the place I have been offered and go on the waiting list for a different camp?

No. You can decline the place you have been offered and go on the waiting list for a different camp. There is a strong possibility you will end up without any place on camp.

When will I find out if my child does not have a place?

We will let you know from the middle of March if your child does not have a place on any camp.

Why has my child not been offered a place?

The most likely reason is oversubscription: there are over 2,000 applications for around 1,200 places. It is also possible you have been too specific in your camp choices: if you choose only one camp you are likely to be rejected. If you choose a number of camping periods and are flexible about the actual camp, you are more likely to be offered a place.

Cancellations and refunds

I accepted the offer to camp, but now I need to cancel the place. What do I do?

Log into your account and cancel the place.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?

If you cancel more than six weeks before the starting date of the camp then you will receive a full refund minus an administrative fee of 10%. If you cancel within six weeks of the start date of the camp then we cannot give you a refund because we cannot guarantee filling your cancelled place. FSC does not insure you against cancellation and holiday insurance may cover you against this risk. (Such insurance could also cover loss or damage to a member’s equipment, for which FSC cannot accept responsibility.) At the discretion of the Children’s Secretary, a partial refund may be made in exceptional circumstances.

Top tips for getting your child placed on camp

  1. Make sure the details we hold for you are correct.  Go to your online account to do this.
  2. Get your application in on time. If your application is made after the deadline, then you are very unlikely to get any offer at all.
  3. When you apply to camp, choose as many camping periods as possible and choose as many camps as you can within each camping period. A child who can be enrolled for any camp during any camping period is much more likely to be offered a place than a child who will only consider a camp in the first summer fortnight.
  4. Check that your child’s school terms dates mean that they will be able to attend the camp (term dates often differ across the UK, especially half terms). Check that the escort details work with your school term dates, especially our weekend camps. Otherwise you may be offered a place on a camp where you later realise your child cannot attend and all other camps for the year will be full.
  5. Consider an Easter camp. Yes, the nights will probably be cold (take two sleeping bags and a hot water bottle to be snug) and you may have a mix of glorious sunshine, rain or snow during the day. However Easter camps are usually less heavily subscribed than other camping periods. Easter camps are smaller than most summer camps and attract experienced staff, so they can be a reassuring first camp experience for a Woodling.
  6. If you are not offered a place for any camp, join the waiting list. A significant number of places become available via the waiting list, particularly for weekend camps, so send the form in. The waiting list is dated, so a form that is received on 30th March will be prioritised over a form received on 5th April.
  7. In the following year, children who were not placed the previous year and joined the waiting list will be prioritised over children who were not placed and did not join the waiting list. Another reason for getting on the waiting list – even if it does not generate an offer this year, it will increase the likelihood of an offer the following year.

Age Groups

At camp, children will join a group based on their age on 1st September. Each group camps separately from the others, so siblings or friends can only share a tent if they are in the same group. The groups are:

Elves6.6 to 8.11School years 1, 2 & 3
Woodlings9.0 to 11.11School years 4, 5 & 6
Trailseekers12.0 to 13.11School years 7 & 8
Trackers14.0 to 15.11School years 9 & 10
Pathfinders16.0 to 17.11School years 11 & 12

When campers reach the age of 18 we hope to welcome them back as staff or Waywardens.

Here you can find information about how to enrol your child on an FSC camp, and our provision of financial aid to some families in financial need. There is also some information for parents of children with disabilities.

About FSC

Applying for Camp

Preparing for Camp

Information for your child about camp

Further Information