Through the generous funding of the Chadacre Trust we are able to offer a FREE course to VIth Form students (up to 10 schools in the academic year)

The course is for students at either A or AS level and is suitable for those studying biology, environmental studies, geography or general studies.

The course looks at how a commercial farm can also adopt conservation principles. We now also have a demonstration area of crops grown on the farm; barley, wheat, oil seed rape, field beans and sugar beet.  One half is treated with the normal fertilizers and pesticides, the other left to enable students to see at a glance the difference additions make to the crops.

Various modules can be chosen to suit the students' needs, these include:

• Diversification
• Sustainability
• The GM debate
• The organic debate
• E.U. legislation
• Set aside
• Pesticides and fertilizers including health and safety issues and pollution control
• Conservation and countryside stewardship
• Quality schemes - traceability from farm to shop
• Basic field work techniques
• Land use
• Tourism
• Public Access
• Farming
• Pond and river work
• Woodlands
• Tracks and rides

A day can touch on several of these topics.  We try to include some practical outdoor work.  If the farmer is free, he is very willing to give a talk to the students and to answer their questions.

The Chadacre Trust will also give schools who wish to take this course, £100 towards their transport costs.

Quotes from High School teachers

Please contact the Field Centre office for more details and to check availability  Sarah@thornham.org.uk

Before your trip suggest your students play the Buzz biodiversity conservation game - great fun! 

Liz is normally the Thornham tutor for the Aspects of Farming and Conservation course.