Our Team
Toni Pettitt - Forest School Leader & Company Director
Toni is founder and director of Branching Out Forest School & Social Forestry.
This career path emerged from inviting different groups to share and experience her and her husband’s semi-ancient woodland. She enjoyed the challenge of creating engaging activities for the different groups and seeing the positive outcomes from doing so. From here, Toni was funded through Shropshire Hills AONB to complete her level 3 Social Forestry Practitioner qualification. Toni is also co-founder and director of Knighton Woodland Tots CIC and completed her Forest School Leader level 3 qualification through the CIC 3 years ago, and has been delivering Forest School sessions ever since. Toni has now accumulated experience in working with schools, holiday clubs, home education groups, parent & toddler groups, family referrals for therapeutic intervention, individuals with additional behavioural needs - to name but a few. Toni is an avid reader on all things environment (a confessed worm and soil nerd), and is passionate about sharing and instilling a love of the outdoors in people, encouraging people to take that closer look at nature, and reaping the benefits that this brings about in individuals and for the environment.
Frances Louise - Forest School Leader
Frances is an accomplished Forest School Leader with over 10 years of experience in working with children. She is an individual who is incredibly passionate about the outdoors and takes immense enjoyment in exploring nature, often spending her free time immersing herself in nature and going on extensice hikes. Fran brings sessions to life, with her expertise and knowledge resulting in an intuitive knowledge in how to engage with children and ensure they enjoy themselves during their learning Forest School journey. Fran also runs her own company, The Woodland Pack (based around Montgomery and the surrounding area) where she delivers her own sessions. Together, Branching Out and The Woodland Pack collaborate to form a power-team in delivering specialised and individualised sessions (specifically for additional behavioural needs). Please get in touch to discuss the potential of delivering these specialised sessions.
Helena Watt - Forest School Leader
Helena completed her Forest School training in 2019 after assisting at a number of outdoor learning venues and Forest School sites to range of ages and abilities. Helena brings an air of openness, creativity and enthusiasm to all her Forest School activities, reflecting her artisttic and creative background (her other profession being an aritist). Helena has susbstantial experience in providing childcare of all ages, and has a ntaurally caring and encouraging attitude that is reflected in her work and children’s experiences when with her. Branching Out has enjoyed working with Helena since 2020 and is excited for future ventures.