EducationEducation & Schools
Education and working with schools is a central part of the work of many city farms and community gardens, and this is reflected in FCFCG's involvement in a number of partnerships and initiatives within this area.
Our overarching aim is to support the use of farming and gardening as an education tool and to promote the benefits of learning outside the normal classroom environment.
News & Updates
Education News Headlines (select Read More for details):
- Food Hubs in Schools
- Free Trees for Schools
- School Food Growing Campaign
- School Food Growing Task Force
- Reciproc8 Recycling Partnerships
School Farms Network
There are now 93 School Farms in the UK. FCFCG helped set up and now co-ordinates the School Farms Network with the Department of Education.
The network offers support and assistance to school farms, co-ordinates meetings and facilitates the exchange of ideas and information. In addition, an e-newsletter is regularly despatched to members to keep them up to date.
Access to Farms Training
Access To Farms (ATF) is a partnership of national organisations aiming to improve the opportunities and quality of educational access to farms by schools. Set up by FCFCG in 1999, ATF has 15 national partner members (see below) and has developed the country's most comprehensive database of farms providing educational access.
The partnership shares information and good practice, arranges joint educational projects, accredits farms that work with school groups, provides training and manages an online database allowing teachers to identify the nearest or most suitable farm to visit. The database is hosted by the Growing Schools programme at: www.growingschools.org.uk/
The Countryside Educational Visits Accreditation Scheme (CEVAS)
The ATF scheme is in two parts: it both accredits farm staff who are working with school groups and endorses the farm premises as being appropriate for school visits.
The Open College Network accredited training is the first part of CEVAS - the accreditation of the person working with school groups. For further information a CEVAS brochure is available to download below in PDF format. Please note the charges are now £100-150 (plus VAT) each for training and farm accreditation.
Growing With Schools (Coventry)
“Teachers’ lack of knowledge and confidence in the field of horticulture means that they need the support of a specialist to make the best use of their school grounds.” (Growing Schools Evaluation, CEE/Bath University, 2003)
Awareness and support for hands-on growing activities in schools are increasing. Numerous resource and information packs are now available, but what staff in many schools need is personalised support from knowledgeable individuals.
The ‘Growing With Schools’ hub project was set up to do just this for schools in Coventry. It is funded by The JJ Charitable Trust and the Mark Leonard Trust and managed by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens. Coventry Education Business Partnership and Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School and Language College are the other partners.
Growing Schools
In 2001 FCFCG was commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills, now called the Department for Education, to research the links that exist between schools, farming and gardening. You can visit the Growing Schools website at www.growingschools.org.uk for a range of resources. Sign up to receive the Growing Schools e-newletter packed full of news, events and resources: Sign up now.
