For nearly all of our Year 1 pupils this was their first visit to a farm and rural location. We prepared in school by looking at the Mount Pleasant website and the children thought about the things they wanted know and then they wrote their own questions to ask. Excitement levels were high and Nina ensured their day was packed with learning and practical experiences. In the classroom they learnt about the different farm animals, their young and how and what they eat. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience of feeding the sheep, collecting, eggs from the hens and feeding them seeds and mash.
They observed the cows and calves, asked many questions and learnt new vocabulary. Later they visited the milking shed to see the machinery and had an explanation about how the farmer, Mr. Charles, milks the cows twice a day. The milk is then transported by tanker and sold to Tesco, ready for us to buy in the supermarket. A walk down the country lane to see the silage store and cows in the fields gave the children the opportunity to discuss the differences between rural and city life. They also looked at the trees and plants in bloom in relation to the season of spring.
Lunchtime provided another learning opportunity, Nina explained that Mount Pleasant Farm is sustainable. For example, it collects rainwater to flush the toilets and recycles and reuses many items. The children carefully sorted their left-over food and packaging and placed it into the different containers so that it could be recycled, resulting in very little rubbish.
There were many links with the wider curriculum, in their English work the children could answer the questions they had thought of prior to the visit and write an accurate recount of the day. In science they had first-hand knowledge of animals and could identify which were carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. In geography we discussed the differences in land use between urban and rural locations and the weather and plants seen in the season of spring. The children also shared their learning about sustainability and recycling with the whole school during an assembly, they spoke so confidently. It was wonderful to hear them talking about the importance of caring for our environment and reinforcing the Catholic Social Teaching principles of Stewardship, Sustainability and The Common Good. They also helped create a display about their learning in the Year 1 classroom and we referenced this to some of the ‘UN Sustainable Development Goals.
