Suffolk Schools Outreach Project

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Suffolk Agricultural Association (SAA) committee has made the decision to cancel the School Farm and Country Fair for 2021.

Cancelling the 2020 and 2021 fairs mean around 4,500 children will not benefit from the ‘hands-on’ experience of food, farming and country pursuits which have made the event such a great success for the past two decades.

Before the full impact of COVID-19 became apparent, the SAA had been working on plans to deliver more outreach education work in our schools and communities.  As a result of COVID-19, that work is immediately more important and relevant to Suffolk children.  Most will have spent months engaged predominantly in online learning activities with little access to practical learning experiences; this is a concern for many head teachers, governors, teachers and parents.

As a result, the Suffolk Schools 'Outreach Outdoors' Project has been developed. Over 100 schools have expressed an interest in such an offer and we are delighted to have begun the booking process. Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors we are able to offer this event free to all participating schools, on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

We will provide all the practical learning resources (including gazebos and materials to deliver the sessions outdoors), and suggested lesson plans with opportunities to ensure all learners are also making progress in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths), PSHE (Personal, Social & Health Education) and Citizenship.  The visits will be planned and delivered in line with government guidance and tailored to work with each school’s practical arrangements. The sessions are being delivered by qualified teachers, who understand the need to inspire, engage and ensure all learners are making progress.

Our education team have worked hard throughout the summer to design and plan the learning activities. The project has already attracted the attention of the media; an interview with a member of our education team on the BBC was subsequently broadcast on a number of news bulletins.  On completion of the pilot we will provide an impact report, our hope being to build on its success and widen its reach to the counties of Essex, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk in 2022.

We have confirmed support and collaborative commitment from key sector industries, and want to ensure we have provided the opportunity to be a part of the project to as many relevant and potentially interested parties as possible.

Please click here to download the Outline Scheme of Learning

Please click here to download a booking form or complete the online form HERE.

If you would like to be involved in this project, please contact Ray Goodman.