Hampshire Country Learning provides farms for schools to visit in Hampshire and the surrounding counties through a program of Countryside days.
The farms for schools to visit in Hampshire program provides the opportunity for children to explore and enjoy the countryside, understand its importance and realise that they have a role in caring for its future. We raise knowledge and understanding by establishing links between schools, farmers and landowners. Visits to the countryside enrich learning in many curriculum subjects.
Our aim is to enable all schoolchildren in Hampshire to spend a day on a farm or estate. Farmers and landowners willingly host visits to their farms for single class groups or larger parties from several schools.
Ethos
We believe that all children and young people should have the opportunity to explore and enjoy the countryside, understand its importance and realise that they have a role in caring for its future. Our aim is to give a wide understanding of countryside issues to school children throughout Hampshire and the unitary authorities of Southampton and Portsmouth. We believe that learning through the countryside can enrich all areas of the curriculum.
Creation
Hampshire Country Learning has grown from the Hampshire Countryside Education Group, which was founded by East Hampshire District Council and Sparsholt College in response to the Hampshire Farming Study’s aim of improving knowledge and understanding of the countryside. It was taken forward by the late Jeremy Groves and is now supported by Sparsholt College, Hampshire County Council, East Hampshire District Council and private funding. We represent a wide group of countryside and environmental bodies, and we promote educational links between schools, farms and learning centres.
Work
Jo Britton our Education Officer works with representatives from Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth LEAs, Education Business Partnerships, teachers, farmers and rural organisations. She liaises with schools, farmers and organisations to promote the excellent existing countryside education in Hampshire. Jo is an agriculture graduate and a trained teacher. Jo is available to help schools find the right venue for a visit e.g. farm, estate, animal centre, wildlife reserve etc., complete risk assessments and design teaching material. She will also help farmers make links with schools, carry out health and safety checks and develop curriculum links for the enterprise concerned.Jo is compiling a comprehensive directory of all countryside education activities in Hampshire which will be displayed on the HCL website. Hampshire County Council will include this directory in their HCC document ‘Opportunities and facilities for educational visits and off-site activities’which goes out to all schools in Hampshire.
Achievement
Extremely successful Countryside Days are run across Hampshire enabling Hampshire children to learn and understand about roles and responsibilities in the countryside.
Special teacher training events are conducted at various locations.