Graduate nurtures a new generation through forest school education

18 July 2025

On Tuesday 15 July 2025, forest school leader and entrepreneur Maria D’Angelo graduated from UWTSD for the second time, completing a PGCE in Primary Education. This follows her earlier BA in Early Years Education and Care from the university’s Carmarthen campus.

Maria D'Angelo at her graduation ceremony

Maria is the founder of , a bilingual outdoor education service based in Brynamman. It runs sessions in local woodland and community spaces, while also offering a mobile programme that brings forest school experiences to schools across south Wales.

Over the past year, Maria has balanced full-time study and placement with raising three children, teaching at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, and growing her forest school into a thriving social enterprise.

Maria said: “It was during my first degree in Early Years Education - studied flexibly in the evenings - that I really started to believe in myself.

“I always loved the outdoors, but during the course, I completed the John Muir Award - a certificated course focused on outdoor learning and sustainability - and this helped deepened my understanding of the natural world’s role in education. It was then I began to realise I wanted to change the face of education.”

Her entrepreneurial journey was sparked by an Entrepreneurship module, where she came up with the idea of a portable “forest school bag” - a resource-packed grab-and-go solution to encourage more outdoor learning in schools.

Maria said: “I was working in a school, covering a lesson and I wanted to take the children outside. But there were no resources or activity packs. So I designed a bag with activities, lesson plans, and everything you’d need to just get outside and start learning. That’s when I started unpicking things further, and I thought, why stop at just a bag?”

This idea led her to qualify as a forest school leader with Cambium Sustainable and launch Friends of the Forest in July 2024.

The school now works with children aged 3½ to 12, including those with ADHD and autism, offering inclusive sessions from school partnerships to holiday clubs and volunteering opportunities.

Maria believes strongly in the accessibility and inclusiveness of outdoor learning.

She said: “When you have this ethos, through play, there is no language barrier. That’s the beauty of it. It fosters creativity, resilience, social skills, and confidence. Children thrive in nature, where they’re free to explore and learn in ways that can’t be replicated in the classroom.”

Earlier this year, Friends of the Forest received a glowing inspection from Care Inspectorate Wales, rating the provision “Excellent” in key areas.

Maria said: “We recently received a fantastic inspection report where we were rated ‘Excellent’ in areas like well-being, environment, and care and development.

“The report highlighted how children thrive outdoors, following their own interests in a safe, enriching space. It also praised the genuine passion and dedication of our team - noting how staff are kind, knowledgeable, and create a truly nurturing, child-led environment. We’re so proud of the recognition.”

Maria D'Angelo with her parents at her graduation ceremony

As she graduates from her PGCE, Maria is already planning to expand the school’s offer - including structured learning for home-educated pupils, deeper partnerships with local schools, and additional holiday provision.

She said: “UWTSD has given me more than just a degree. It’s given me ambition, confidence in myself, and the courage to think outside the box. More than that, it’s given me a chance to make my family proud.”

She also credits the university’s ongoing support as an influence in her success. Maria said:

“The support I’ve received from the university throughout my two degrees has been instrumental in both my academic and entrepreneurial journey. The practical, real-world approach to learning, combined with the close-knit community gave me a strong foundation to pursue my PGCE and continue growing my business.

“I have an army of people that help me - from the Alumni and Enterprise teams to the teaching staff. You’re always part of the UWTSD family. Earlier this year, I even secured a grant from UWTSD’s Enterprise team to fund an ‘Investigation Station’ - a portable science area equipped with a digital microscope, pond-dipping kits, and other tools to inspire children through nature-based exploration - they were thrilled!”

Now, she’s eager to share what she’s learned with the next generation of teachers.

“I’d love UWTSD students to come and visit. Seeing children thrive outdoors - it changes the way you think about teaching.”

Here’s a glimpse into the adventures happening at :