The Farm has 3 members of teaching staff and 2 technicians. At the weekends and during the holidays student volunteers support technician staff in maintaining animal welfare. Students gain the opportunity to engage with their learning in a much more practical learning style. Onsite we have rare breed pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks and turkeys. Students learn how to care for these animals and carry out all aspects of agricultural work from learning how to tend to crops to driving and maintaining the school’s tractor.

At KS4 Farm students undertake a Level 2 qualification in Agriculture worth either one or two GCSE equivalents.  Post-16 there are currently two Level 3 courses on offer, either a BTEC in Animal Management or a City & Guilds qualification in Agriculture.  All of the courses encompass the rigor of traditional academic studies but adds a practical element especially valued by employers in the field of veterinary science and indeed agriculture. The BTEC and City & Guilds qualifications provide a much more vocational approach teaching key skills that will be essential for a career in the agriculture industry or animal welfare industry. 

In Year 9 students have the opportunity to assist on the farm at lunch times. Staff will supervise activities relating to animal husbandry, care and well-being as well as learning about how these animals are used to produce goods and services vital to the agriculture industry.

We run visits and field trips to enhance the significant learning opportunities we already provide. These include visits to places like Whipsnade Zoo and local farms, where students can learn about the importance for modern agriculture in maintaining a biodiversity as well as understanding the importance of some traditional farming methods.  All told the courses aim to provide as much practical input as possible to allow theory and key skills to be taught side by side giving students a much better perspective of where a career in animal / plant science and agriculture could take them.