Learning on the Land: Educational Visits at Castle Farm

At Castle Farm, we’re passionate about sharing what we do, and as such, we are delighted to now offer local schools the opportunity to bring their learning onto the farm.

From our Guided Lavender Tours in the summer, through to our Winter Farm Hikes, and our detailed crop information boards on public footpaths, we have always loved educating visitors about the farm, the countryside and the work that goes into producing food and caring for the landscape.

The farm as an outdoor classroom

Thanks to our participation in the Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship scheme, we’re able to welcome student groups to Castle Farm free of charge. The scheme supports farmers in providing opportunities for people to access and learn about the countryside, and we’re particularly excited about the educational possibilities it offers.

Rather than simply showing children around the farm, the idea is to use the landscape itself as a classroom. Students can get out into the fields, explore the natural environment and see first-hand how farming, conservation and food production are connected.

Visits can be tailored around the age of the students and what they are currently learning, with plenty of scope for practical activities and discussion.

A free educational opportunity for local schools

Visits are available from September through to Easter, when the farm is quieter and we have more opportunity to welcome school groups. The educational visits are designed to last at least two hours, with a maximum group size of 30, including teachers and accompanying adults. Schools are responsible for arranging transport to and from the farm.

There are toilet and hand-washing facilities at set points around the farm, and depending on the itinerary, groups may be able to eat packed lunches outdoors or in one of our buildings or shelters.

We only have a limited number of dates available each season, so let us know if you have a excursion in mind! 

What could students explore?

There are lots of possibilities, depending on the interests and curriculum of the group. Examples include:

• Soil and plant life – investigating soil structure, finding worms and exploring how plants grow.
• Farming and food production – looking at crops in the fields, discovering how they grow and what they are used for.
• Wildlife and habitats – exploring hedgerows, meadows and other habitats and looking for signs of wildlife.
• Water and ecology – investigating rivers, water cycles and the importance of water to plants and animals.
• The landscape and its history – looking at how the Darent Valley has developed and why the landscape is important.
• Geography – exploring landscape features, geology, erosion, soils, maps and navigation.
• Biology – from minibeasts and plant lifecycles to habitats, food webs and nutrient cycles.
• Chemistry – exploring subjects such as soil chemistry, pH, nutrients and even the principles of distillation.
• Art and English – using the landscape, plants, wildlife and weather as inspiration for drawing, painting, poetry and creative work.
• PE and outdoor learning – walking trails and exploring the farm on foot.

The example itineraries we’ve put together include walks through fields and meadows, investigating soil and plants, exploring hedgerows, packed lunches outdoors and even tractor and educational trailer rides through the farm. These are simply ideas to get things started — we’re very happy to discuss how a visit could complement what a particular class is learning.

Bringing learning to life

We’re lucky to farm a landscape that offers so many different opportunities for learning — from crops and soil beneath our feet to rivers, wildlife, woodland, orchards and the history of the Darent Valley around us.

We hope these visits will give children the chance to step outside the classroom, get their hands dirty, ask questions and see some of the things they learn about at school happening in the real world.

If you’re a local school or student group and would like to find out more, we’d love to hear from you. We’re very happy to chat through ideas, discuss your curriculum requirements and work together to create a visit that works for your group. Please note we only have limited dates we can offer each year, and these will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. 

To enquire about an educational visit to Castle Farm, please contact our team at:
events@castlefarmkent.co.uk
01959 523219

We look forward to welcoming the next generation of farmers, scientists, geographers, artists, conservationists — and curious minds — to the farm!