Overview
Woodcraft School was the first organisation in the UK to offer an accredited course specifically designed for bushcraft instructors, and it continues to set the benchmark for bushcraft techniques for both trainee instructors and enthusiasts read more. While formal assessment of teaching skills is no longer part of the programme, we provide guidance and advice for those wishing to pass on their knowledge. For those seeking formal recognition in teaching, several short train the trainer type courses are available via other awarding bodies.
It would be useful to have some prior knowledge of bushcraft before embarking on this programme, though it is not essential. The award is structured into nine modules plus an additional assessment module, spread across either 12-24 month, you can decide how long you want to spent completing the qualification. The course is organised in blocks that include weekends to reduce the impact on the working week, making it accessible to those who are fully employed. Students with long journeys are welcome to arrive the night before, ensuring flexibility and convenience.
The programme is delivered entirely outdoors, and participants are expected to camp for the duration. In addition to on-site sessions, a significant portion of home study is required, so students should be prepared to immerse themselves fully in bushcraft—living, eating, and sleeping the skills throughout the course. If you are in any doubt about your suitability, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your individual circumstances.
Course Content
Throughout the programme, students are guided through a broad and immersive range of bushcraft skills. You will learn about tool design and safe use, carving techniques, hand-tool tree felling, and timber conversion, alongside traditional crafts such as primitive glues, bark work, cordage and net making, and essential knots and lashings.
Practical survival skills are explored across a variety of areas, including shelter construction using both natural and modern techniques, fire lighting and management—covering bow drill and hand drill methods—backcountry cooking, game preparation, and foraging for wild food. Students also gain knowledge in tree and plant identification, including poisonous species, recognising animal tracks and signs, natural navigation, and sourcing safe water.
The programme emphasises not just skills, but the ability to manage the physical challenges of the outdoors, including the effects of heat, cold, and dehydration. By the end of the course, participants are confident and competent in a wide spectrum of bushcraft skills, ready to live, work, and share their knowledge in the natural environment.
This programme requires the student to be living in the outdoors and managing themselves, the environment and the camp and resources. With this in mind you are also expected to help out around the site with tasks such as bringing in water, washing up and collecting firewood.
Fees
The cost is £3075. After a £200 deposit, the remaining £2875 payments can be spread over 12 monthly installments or paid per module.
Entry Requirements
We expect candidates seeking entry to this programme to have a good level of bushcraft experience which may be gained on our Advanced Bushcraft Award
Location
Near Heathfield, East Sussex
Details
This programme is run under license by Phil Brooke with John Rhyder being responsible for the quality assurance. This is still a Woodcraft School course and the certification will still come via Woodcraft School and the NCFE. The main difference will be that the booking and financial arrangements will be made directly with Phil Brooke.
Phil is an excellent instructor who John has personally been training for this role for over many years. The programme is still a Woodcraft School course and if we didn’t think Phil capable of delivering a programme equal to what has gone before we would not grant the license. Any courses that Phil runs will be licensed to him exclusively so rest assured this isn’t a quality diluting franchise system. All of these programmes will therefore still be found on our Woodcraft School website alongside the ones John will lead.
Course Dates
This course in run under license on our behalf by Phil Brooke dates and further details are available at the link below.
Certification
The award level is set at level 4 by using national benchmarks. Successful candidates will receive the Certificate in Applied Bushcraft from the NCFE who we will be using to underscore the quality of this programme.
Levels
The level of our programmes implies the degree of work needed to be done by the student to achieve certification. Our awards are set at level 3 and 4 but this does not imply that levels below these benchmarks are needed prior to joining a course. Guidelines as to the complexity of the levels can be found here.
Assessment
Assessment takes several forms depending on the subject matter and will include observation, question and answer sessions, written papers, identification tests and assignments. The process is thorough and vigorous and designed to ensure you have full understanding of the subject areas. The assessments takes place at set times during the programme.
It is possible to take the training element of this course and not the assessment in which case a Certificate of Attendance is offered.