The Country Trust

www.countrytrust.org.uk
[email protected]
01245 608363

Description of typical day on farm visit

With a mission to connect children to the land that sustain us all, visits to real working farms and estates are central to all Country Trust programmes. The Trust is supported by a network of dedicated farmers and estate managers who welcome thousands of children out into the countryside to gain in-depth, hands-on experiences of food and farming.

The visits introduce the children to the world of farming; crops, livestock, environmental projects, farmers and career avenues that exist in the countryside. This immersive environment encourages children to explore food production and roles in agriculture and discover a new world that is intimately connected with their lives.

Outline of the benefits of farm visit for the children

The Country Trust’s 2021 Impact Evaluation reports that through the Farm Discovery programme 98% of children have a better understanding of how and where their food is produced. An impact on educational practice has also been recorded with 92% of teachers saying that they felt more confident in using the outdoors as a learning resource to widen pupils’ experiences because of their visit. Teachers also overwhelmingly agreed that reluctant learners had the opportunity to engage in activities, aligning to the Trust’s principles that every child should have the opportunity to succeed and thrive through their programmes.

The Country Trust works in areas of persistent social and economic disadvantage, areas in which children experience ‘poverty of opportunity’. Through Farm Discovery, children are provided with the tools to form connections to an environment that ordinarily they would not have the opportunity to experience. In the recent Impact Report, 95% of teachers agreed with this statement adding that children gained confidence in being outdoors and in the countryside as a result of their visit.

How visit links to curriculum

Farm Discovery visits are carefully tailored to the needs of the class or group. We aim to enrich classroom learning. The Trust’s experienced team of coordinators and hosts curate age-relevant experiences that aim to empower children through making connections and fostering curiosity.

Visits enable children to learn across the curriculum with strong subject links to Science, Geography or History. However, visits also provide opportunities to improve language and literacy, use practical mathematics and all have PSHE benefits. Topics covered may include seeds and plants, life cycles, animals’ needs and welfare, animal adaptations, climate change, the story of food production, minibeast hunts and identification, seasons, habitats, food chains, technology use on the farm and much more.