We set up and coordinate the School Farms Network. The network provides mutual specialist support for existing practitioners and people interested in starting a new school farm.
About the network
There are now more than 140 School Farms in the UK. We set up and co-ordinate the School Farms Network as a mutual support and specialist network of practitioners and those interested in starting a new school farm.
The network:
- Offers support and assistance to existing school-based farms and those wishing to start a new school farm (teachers, assistants and parents).
- Facilitates the exchange of ideas and information, including peer teacher support and through a SFN Facebook group.
- Produces a newsletter for those interested in promoting opportunities for young people to take part in farming and agricultural/land-based learning across the education sector.
- Arranges network meetings for school farm staff and volunteers to swap ideas, gain inspiration from the work of their colleagues and discuss how to stimulate understanding and support for school farms.
A short history of the network
From a low point in 2006, when there were only 66 school farms, the UK now has more than 120 school farms and many other schools actively engaged in starting a new one.
They are situated throughout the UK but concentrated in South East England and the West Midlands. Developing a formal support structure for them was an objective for some time, and an initial meeting of school farm practitioners was convened in 2004 at Oathall Community College in Haywards Health, West Sussex, to look at how this could be taken forward following a gathering of teachers in the previous year.
Former Social Farms & Gardens Patron HRH The Prince of Wales (now King Charles III), has a particular interest in the children's education about farming and growing and has himself visited several school farms. As a result of this drive, the School Farms Network (SFN) was set up in 2004 and offers support and assistance to school farms (both existing and schools considering starting), co-ordinates meetings, provides advice, produces materials and newsletters, CPD, facilitates networking and peer learning, and advocates on behalf of school farms.
The Prince sent a letter of support for the emerging network, in which he said:
"I could not be more pleased to be supporting this conference to promote school farms and gardens as centres of excellence and to serve as a resource to enrich and enhance the curriculum."
Resources
Get Your Hands Dirty Guide
The School Farms Network produced a free guide called ‘Get Your Hands Dirty’. The guide provides comprehensive advice on growing plants and keeping animals in schools. This resource is useful for all teachers, whether you are thinking of starting to grow plants or wanting to start more complex activities.
Download the Get Your Hands Dirty Guide >
School Farms research survey (2011)
The Living Classroom - School Farms in the UK: A mapping document (2011) shows school farms across the UK.
Download the School Farms research survey >
Improving Student Learning Through School Farms report
This report was produced for a project to build joint understanding of how school farms might improve the experience of young people’s learning. It was a partnership between the School Farms Network (SFN) and the Department of Educational Research, Lancaster University.
Read the Student Learning Through School Farms report >
Natural Connections Project (2012 - 2016)
A Natural England-funded project demonstrated the value of outdoor classrooms. The project was delivered by Plymouth University, and was the largest project of its kind in England. It helped more than 40,000 primary and secondary school pupils get out of their classrooms and into the outdoors.
Read more about the project > (Natural England website)
School Farms Network guides for headteachers and policy-makers
This guide from the School Farms Network is aimed primarily at head teachers and education policy-makers to highlight the wide range of benefits and positive effects on learning that school farms can bring to a school, its teachers and students, and the local community.
Countryside Classroom
Countryside Classroom is the largest ever partnership of organisations committed to helping children learn about food, farming and the natural environment. Led by Farming and Countryside Education (FACE), the founding Consortium members first came together in 2012 with the shared ambition of maximising their reach and impact through long-term collaboration.
By providing a single, easy-to-use source of school support, Countryside Classroom raises the awareness, motivation and ability of teachers to incorporate food, farming and the natural environment into their everyday teaching practice.
Visit the Countryside Classroom website >
Get involved
Join the School Farms Network Facebook Group - a closed group where people involved in the running of school farms, or considering starting a new one, can share resources, seek advice, sell livestock and share experiences relating to school farms.
Contact
If you'd like to know more about SFN or Social Farms & Gardens, please contact [email protected] or phone 07939 230053 with your details.
Ian Egginton-Metters from Social Farms & Gardens (retired) can help you with enquiries about developing the Network, hands-on farming and horticultural education in schools.
You can also contact Linda Hackett (Woodchurch High School, Wirral) [email protected], or Marion Arthurs (Ramsey Grammar School, Isle of Man) [email protected].