Primary school pupils experience countryside learning at Bradford Estates farming open day

Around 120 children from schools in Telford and Walsall visited Woodlands Farm in Weston-under-Lizard to find out about farming and forestry from the Bradford Estates team.

Year 5 and 6 pupils from John Randall Primary School in Madeley were joined by Year 5 pupils from Leamore Primary School in Walsall and a Year 3 group from St Peter’s CE Primary School in Edgmond at the educational event, which continues Bradford Estates' commitment to rural education.

Bradford Estates, which manages 12,000 acres on the Shropshire and Staffordshire borders, delivered interactive sessions for the third year running with Countryside Learning, an educational charity which works with UK landed estates businesses to get children into the outdoors.

Farm and Estates Director Steve Farrow welcomed the visitors to the event, which included a range of activities for the pupils.

The children learned how the estates team manage the woodlands through a talk by professional forestry management experts Bronwin and Abbey and the Forestry Commission, getting up close to young broadleaf and conifer trees, as well as taking part in a session on improving the soil led by Mary Brookes with a quiz covering the crops and the food produced.

The visitors were shown the machinery used on the Bradford Estates by Farm Manager James Sheldrick while administrator Megan Betts showed her animals including two lambs and a runaway chicken, which was recently rescued before becoming best friends with a duck.

Matthew Dutton from the British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC) delivered a session on conservation and birds, while Countryside Learning led an activity on camouflage.

The children had a picnic lunch and enjoyed the beautiful setting at Woodlands Farm.

Nicola Clarke, Year 5 teacher and English and PSHE subject leader at Leamore Primary School, said: “The Countryside Learning workshop provided our Year 5 pupils with so much valuable information and the hands on learning experiences were carefully planned and resourced to ensure that all children were actively involved and engaged throughout the entire day.

“As our pupils are from a disadvantaged area, which is built up with little green space and open land, it gave them the opportunity to experience a totally different setting and to find out where exactly a lot of our food comes from and the processes involved in farming the land.

“The highlight of the day was most definitely the lambs followed closely by the impressive farm machinery that children were able to see and experience firsthand.

“On the journey back to school, all children could talk about was what a brilliant day it had been with one pupil saying: ‘It was honestly the best day ever.’ As a result of our trip, we will be improving our own school eco group and making changes around our school and in our local area as this has inspired our pupils to care for the environment and the wildlife around us.”

Events manager Barbara Brannigan said: "Our mission is to connect young people with the countryside, fostering a genuine appreciation for nature and the environment.

“These collaborative events bring together various organisations to engage children through interactive activities focused on food, farming and the natural world.

"Visiting in May offers a perfect backdrop for this learning experience, with new growth visible. Working with Bradford Estates continues to be rewarding as we see the immediate positive impact these visits have on children's understanding of rural life and environmental stewardship."

Alexander Newport, Managing Director of Bradford Estates, said: "Hosting these educational visits is a key part of our commitment to community engagement and promoting understanding of modern agriculture and environmental management. The enthusiasm and curiosity shown by the pupils is infectious and we are grateful to our partners and the Bradford Estates team for sharing their expertise in such an engaging way.

"We recognise our responsibility in nurturing the next generation's connection to the countryside, and these events play an important role in sharing our 100-year plan for sustainable land management with the widest audience."

Working to its 100-year plan, Bradford Estates' stewardship is centred around its commitment to working as a responsive partner to local organisations and promoting sustainable land management practices, including staging visits such as the open day on Tuesday May 20.