Qualifications to allow you to have a campfire?

[2kidsintow]

I've been on a forest schools course. It was fab. They talked about the magic of having a campfire in the forest activites sometimes.

Only problem, you need a qualification to be able to satisfy the health and safety and the insurance to be able to do it with the children. Forest schools level 3 costs ££££. £800 cost, plus the cost of supply for 7 days, plus £140 for the outdoor first aid course you would need too.

My wondering thought is whether there are other similar courses I could try and find that would also suit to qualify an adult to be able to light a fire. I know the scouts/guides etc have campfires, so there must be other ways that could be a lot more affordable to the school.

Are you sure you need the certificate to light fires? If you can prove yourself competent, and can do the associated risk assessments (and obviously get them signed off by the head) I see no reason why you need an L3 Cert.
I do have one (I got the training greatly reduced whilst at college for something else) but I don't want to see "Forest School" becoming some kind of franchise that everyone who wants to do outdoor education has to have.
Getting outside, exploring nature... this should not be an exclusive preserve of schools that can afford £1000+

where are you? it seems like a money making thing to me! you would need to do risk assessments etc but i guess if you want to be under the 'forest school' franchise (whatever it is) they'd want you to do their course!

have a look at \link{http://www.playwork.co.uk/\playwork partnerships} who also do short courses

btw a small fire pit can be just as fun and doesn't cause as much mess