The schools that we work with really value the visits to real working farms and rural estates, as well as the farmer talks in lessons and assemblies.

Country Trust staff can discuss curriculum links with teachers, and help farmers and teachers to develop activities for the day of the visit. The farm visits can be carefully tailored to develop the most appropriate curriculum links whether in science, mathematics, history or geography. Many teachers also use the visit experiences to inspire creative writing too.

Children learn how and where their food is produced. They learn how farmers work through the seasons planting and growing crops and looking after animals to produce food. Often they do not link farms and the countryside with the food that they buy in shops and supermarkets.

As well as the curriculum links, we also know the benefits for children of just being on a farm, meeting people from different walks of life, seeing animals up close for the first time, having green open space in which to run, and feeling close to nature and the seasons. Children build a rich bank of experiences which fuels their imagination and their vocabulary.