School children visit Courteenhall Estate to learn about farming, food production and farming

A group of children from a school in Rugby spent a day at Courteenhall Estate in Northamptonshire to learn about food production, farming and the environment. Year 10 GCSE food preparation and nutrition students from Harris Church of England Academy joined LEAF Education to learn more about the estate, its cereal crops and animals and its environmental work. They then went on to cook some healthy recipes in the Estate’s on-site classroom. LEAF Education is part of LEAF – Linking Environment And Farming – and works to inspire future generations about farming, food and the countryside. It provides teachers with curriculum focused training, tools and resources to help them deliver high-quality learning experiences about farming. Elizabeth Lake, Central Regional Education Consultant for LEAF, said: “It was a really successful day and I got lots of positive feedback from the students in their evaluation forms, which was delightful to read. “We were made to feel so welcome and the children enjoyed learning all about the different grains grown on the Estate. They loved putting their hands into buckets of grains and matching up samples with dried examples of the crops, then finding out the types of products the grains are typically found in. “The year 10 boys were positively giddy when they got the chance to explore the grounds, and everyone adored seeing the traditional Hereford cattle and the pigs. “The Old Grammar School is such an inspiring place for the children to learn in, and they were fascinated by the graffiti and were trying to imagine what it would have been like years ago. “Coming to the farm at Courteenhall is an invaluable experience as it helps to reinforce the children’s learning. They can put the theory they have studied in the classroom into practice in a real environment. We can’t wait to come back.” Alex Wilson, Teacher of Food Preparation & Nutrition and Product Design for Harris C of E Academy said: "Our GCSE food and nutrition students attended Courteenhall and thoroughly enjoyed every minute. “They got an insight into the workings of the farm and to explore its amazing grounds. It was a brilliant experience for our students to see a working farm and Liz from LEAF did an excellent job at incorporating key knowledge into this experience." Dr Johnny Wake, Managing Partner of Courteenhall Estate, said: “We do a lot of work with local primary schools and were pleased to welcome the students from Harris C of E Academy, our first secondary school to visit. “We work with some amazing organisations, like LEAF, and have a big focus on education, with the aim of helping children and young people to connect with the countryside. “It’s a great chance for schools to incorporate their curriculum with learning outside. Pupils get to talk to key members of our team and learn how we farm the land in a regenerative and sustainable way.”