A curriculum tailored Farm Discovery visit

13 April 2023

Claxby Grange hosted their first farm visits of the spring season with a curriculum-tailored theme!

As spring is well and truly in motion, so are our Farm Discovery visits! Whilst these visits run year-round, the upcoming warmer seasons provide a truly enchanting experience for children to fully immerse themselves in the wonders of farms, food, and the countryside in more peaceful surroundings.

Claxby Grange kicked off the spring season with a warm welcome to Year 5 pupils from Sir Francis Hill Primary School, kindly funded by FiPL (Farming in Protected Landscapes), funding AONB Lincolnshire wolds.

A tailored Farm Discovery visit

At Sir Francis Hill Primary School, the KS2 pupils were studying Sow, Grow and Farm, to help them understand more about the features and characteristics of land use in farming around the world. To align with the curriculum’s Farming theme, Verity Chappell, Farm Discovery Coordinator, and host, Farmer Andrew organised the farm visit to take children on a journey through agriculture's past, present and future, enhancing their learning and giving them a newfound appreciation for the world of farming and the origins of their food.

In addition to the historical journey of farming, the children also got a chance to get their hands dirty and delve deep into the soil by participating in Plant Your Pants!

“The past/present elements were well met for the History-focused farm visit. Farmer Andrew and Verity engaged the children fully and they got a lot out of visiting the farm. A really great experience that supports the children's classroom experience.” – Teacher

Verity tells us more about the day

“The day started off with a refreshing walk around the farm where the children took part in the Plant Your Pants campaign, planting cotton pants in three different locations: the woodland, a fallow field, and a crop field. They discovered many worms and mini beasts as they dug their hands into the soil and explored the earth beneath their feet.

After some lunch, Farmer Andrew showed the children the old and new farming machines. They also ground wheat, sifted flour, made bread shapes, and looked at mystery objects and pictures from the past. They even had a go at making a corn dolly!”

Corn dollies are as old as agriculture. They are small figures made from pieces of wheat that date back thousands of years and are said to bring good luck and prosperity in the next growing season (BBC).

Linking farm visits with the curriculum

Coordinators tailor farm visits to the needs of the class and teaching topic. Whether schools want to emphasise history, mathematics, language, or other subjects, we aim to provide a truly memorable, immersive and educational experiences for children that will leave a lasting impression with them long after their visit.

Below are some examples of how visits can be linked to the curriculum:

Mathematics and Numeracy: Real-world applications of arithmetic and facts to estimate inputs, outputs and processes; I.e how many loaves of bread could this field of wheat produce?
Language and Literacy: Acquisition of new, context-based vocabulary to support learning and provide a springboard for creative writing.
STEM: With strong links to science and engineering, our visits delve deep into materials, seasonal changes, living things and topics such as climate change and its impact on the food we eat.
Wellbeing and PSHE: Health and wellbeing, relationships, living in the wider world: economic well-being and being a responsible citizen.

We look forward to welcoming more children to their nearby farms during these upcoming months and helping create unforgettable memories while making important connections between food and farming that are too often forgotten in today's society. We can’t wait to share more of these amazing experiences!

Interested in learning more? Get in touch with us at info@countrytrust.org.uk