Education on the Farm
“We are very proud of the education that we provide on the farm. From primary school educational visits to bespoke primary, secondary and post-16 courses and qualifications delivered, we are helping to create confident young people who we hope will become the farmers and agricultural workers of the future.”
Sara-Jane Hancock, Founder of Outdoor Education Provision on the farm
Primary, Secondary and Post-16
Outdoor Education
Education is at the heart of what we do on the farm.
Young people of all ages benefit from the time they spend learning about all aspects of farming and the countryside.
We have been successfully providing alternative educational provision on the farm for nearly 10 years. We have particular success with pupils who:
-
are keen to pursue careers working on the land or in the farming industry
-
are more difficult to reach and who are not thriving in the school environment
-
have learning or behavioural issues
-
have autism or Aspergers
-
are non-attenders
-
are home-educated
All young people benefit enormously from spending time on the farm each week. Working with animals and being outdoors gives pupils a sense of responsibility and increases their confidence and self-esteem. Their team-working and social skills are improved and this is reported to translate to a more positive experience when they are back in the school or college environment.
For more information on our bespoke Primary, Secondary, Home Education and Post-16 Outdoor Education on the farm, please download our Education Brochure and contact Maxine Fox by emailing maxine.fox@theriverbourneedge.com
TESTIMONIAL
"Prior to my son being offered the provision of the farming course, he was reluctant to attend school and participate in lessons, feeling that he had little worth or value as he was struggling to keep up with the learning and therefore acted out and spent a lot of time in isolation. Since attending the farm he feels confident and has regained his self-esteem and this has been reflected in his behaviour and engagement during lessons which can be evidence by his attainment points and lack of isolation!
The farm has been instrumental in broadening his understanding of the importance of education and how you apply this in day to day living, such as knowing how to measure the correct length of wood to fix a fence etc. The farm has given him the motivation to think about his future and allow him to try new skills before embarking on further education in an avenue that he has not previously consider. As a result of the farm course, he is looking to apply to Sparsholt for either a level 2 agriculture qualification or a level 3 apprenticeship as a crop technician.
I truly believe that without this intervention he would have been permanently excluded from school with very little hope of being able to secure an appropriate College placement."
Parent of past year 11 student
Term Dates
We work to Wiltshire Council Term Dates.
Click HERE to find the year's term planner.
Home Education
Pupils who are home-educated are welcome to join our current primary and secondary sessions.
However, we do not receive any government funding for providing our education sessions and so there is a fee payable, invoiced termly.
Please email education@riverbournecommunityfarm.org.uk
for more information and availability.
Organised School Visits
We offer FREE educational farm tours for primary and secondary schools and nursery groups.
These visits are usually for around two hours and are led by our volunteer Farm Leaders. If you want us to cover a particular area of the curriculum please let us know and we will do our best to apply this to your tour.
To book an educational visit please email the farm office.
"A great opportunity to inspire young people to develop a love of practical outdoor work"
Wiltshire Council SEND Worker
Click to download our health and safety policies below:
- Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
The River Bourne Edge
Education has always been the driving force of what we want to achieve on the farm and so we are delighted to expand this provision to include The River Bourne Edge which will enable us to benefit a wider range of pupils.
Whilst our Bespoke Outdoor Education Department continues to offer the benefits of working with animals and on the land, The River bourne Edge provides complimentary education and is an integral part the farm. It offers up to five sessions each week for students who specifically:
-
Struggle to access mainstream education due to challenging behaviour
-
Are awaiting placement in a specialist provision
-
Have mental health, medical or SEN needs that prevent attendance at a mainstream school
-
Require off-site direction to support their individual needs
The Edge uses the 5 R's of a restorative approach to support all our students.
-
Relationships - the "way of being" will focus on building strong, meaningful, trusting and respectful relationships
-
Respect - Will be a strong foundation for all interactions at the Edge
-
Responsibility - Supporting all the students to take responsibility for themselves and for how they treat others
-
Repair and reintegration - We work with all parties to restore conflict and enable all students to transition back into mainstream education where applicable
The morning sessions are for students whose behaviour is preventing them from accessing mainstream school. They are tailored to meet each student's academic needs. We deliver maths and English alongside a themed approach curriculum.
While the afternoon sessions are for students whose mental health or medical needs prevent them for accessing school. In these sessions we concentrate on enhancing emotional and social development.
During both sessions we offer a variety of creative workshops that enhance life skills and provide a holistic education experience.
More information on The River Bourne Edge education can be found at www.theriverbourneedge.com.
You can email info@theriverbourneedge.com
PLEASE NOTE: Enquiries for the outdoor farm education for primary and secondary pupils should be directed to education@riverbournecommunityfarm.org.uk.