Our Farm
We are fortunate that we have wonderful huge grounds, and we are keen to continue developing the learning areas outside. Working alongside our Forest School experiences, our children wanted more! Therefore, as our children have a huge voice in what happens in our school, the children wanted to introduce animals, so we now have two pygmy goats (Scratch and Murphy), two Southdown sheep (Sassy and Socks) and two Indian runner ducks (Mabel and Dipper). In the coming months we will be hatching chickens to join the other animals.
Each class takes responsibility for the animals for two weeks per term and during this time they feed, water and monitor the animals wellbeing. Where children have a special interest in the animals they may be invited to observe shearing or the vet at work. In school, classes use the Farm as a stimulus for writing as well as linking time with the animals and outdoors to their mental health and wellbeing.
During weekends and holidays, parents and their children are invited into school to care for the animals, which builds close links within the community.
As well as the animals, the Farm area includes a thriving polytunnel and allotments. All children plant and nurture edible crops and use them in cooking. This links closely to our Science curriculum as well as mental health and wellbeing.
Learning about the environment and encouraging the children to take more responsivity in the world around them, has made the teachers review and develop the curriculum we offer our children. The children will learn about:
- different biodiversity the school grounds offers;
- an understanding of what bees need and which plants are bee friendly. Therefore, the children have decided to have three areas in the school where we do not mow the grass and we encourage wildflowers;
- planting and growing vegetables;
- experimenting with our polytunnel;
- developing our three mini orchards;
- learning about composting;
- giving real life concrete examples of practical application of maths and English across the school
All of this has learning at the heart of all activities and we have four key objectives:
- Engaging with the outdoors and respecting the world around us;
- Providing pastoral and social emotional support through well-structured lessons;
- Further enriching our curriculum e.g. enterprise projects (Chicken Project);
- Giving the children real life experiences.
Our next steps:
- Reintroduce hens to the farm
- Continue to develop our Grow – Cook – Eat curriculum including the polytunnel and allotments.