Land-Based Skills
The College has always had a Farm Unit and we have successfully run GCSE and RSA Agriculture courses in the past and remained sustainable for the last thirty years.
Over the last few years there has been a huge increase in the number of students interested in Land Based Studies and as a result we now offer eight BTEC Vocational courses at pre and post 16 from levels 1 to 3. This growth in numbers and the increased demand for trained Land Based students to meet the skills shortage in the countryside has meant that we have out grown the old Farm Unit and are in the process of developing a new College Farm on the edge of Minehead. This move is part of £5.4 million development at the College which will see a Skills and Enterprise building built on the main College site in order to give our students a wide range of opportunities in Vocational courses and the latest facilities in order to offer the new Diploma’s.
New Land Based facilities at The West Somerset Community College.
At the start of September 2008 we will have brand new, bigger and state of the art facilities for the delivery of a wide range of Vocational Land Based course from Level 1 to 3. The facilities below are unique to The West Somerset Community College and are already becoming a model for Land Based education in schools across the South West and beyond. They will include:
At the College Farm:
- 24 acres of land
- A flock of about 40 Exmoor Mule sheep, Texel and Suffolk rams.
- A suckler herd of Red Devon cattle
- A small herd of Pedigree Gloucester Old Spot pigs
- A selection of poultry including turkeys, chickens, ducks and geese.
- A barn for animal accommodation, feed and machinery storage.
- A teaching base including farm office, kitchen, produce storage and farm shop
- The site will be farmed traditionally and managed environmentally and sustainably. This will include a range of farm habitats, solar and photovoltaic panels, rain water harvest system, geothermal heating and sustainable building materials
- Machinery to include tractor, loader, trailer, topper, grass rake, post driver
In the Skills and Enterprise building there will be:
- An exotic animal room containing a selection of tropical fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals
- An Agriculture laboratory for scientific investigation and analysis. The room will also contain enough computers for a whole Land Based group
- A Preparation room for the breeding and preparation of food
- An outdoor area (part of the garden designed and built by Land Based students) in which there will be a small animals area for mammals and aviaries
KEY STAGE 3
There is currently no opportunity to study a Land Based course at KS3.
However, the College is planning an exciting new curriculum for Year 9 which will be truly cross curricular using the new College Farm to allow students to experience an exciting, outdoor, stimulating environment and therefore create an enjoyable and life changing Compelling Learning Experience. Bringing together aspects of Every Child Matters, Learning Outside the Classroom, Sustainabilty and the Year of Food and Farming.
KEY STAGE 4
Agriculture, Animal Care, Countryside and Environment, Horticulture, Land and Environment.
All five courses are Vocational BTEC qualifications. This means:
- They are very practical
- You will learn a variety of skills by hands on experience
- Many of your lessons will be outdoors
- There are no exams, assessment is by a series of assignments throughout the course
- Assignments may be in the form of Power Point presentations, discussion, display, video, photo diary, written work and very often by assessing practical skills
- Your final result will be at Distinction, Merit or Pass
- You will have to buy the green Land Based Studies uniform
Courses
Level 1 - Introductory Diploma in Land and Environment – this is a double option equivalent to four GCSE passes at D – G.
This course is practically based around a range of locations both on and off the College site. It is aimed at providing students with an introduction to work in the Land based Sector and will therefore involve lots of practical outdoor work relevant to jobs in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, land management etc. There are eight units:
- Starting Work in the Land Based Industries – covering different types of jobs, organisations and lifestyles.
- Working Safely in the Land Based Industries – pay, work patterns, Health and Safety, appraisal.
- Skills Development in the Land Based Industries – job roles, technical skills, planning and practise.
- Personal Effectiveness – personal skills, strengths, weaknesses, CV and job application.
- Social Responsibility at Work – conservation and recycling, health and hygiene and the law.
- Animal Husbandry – based mainly at the Farm Unit learning about animal products, life cycles, health and welfare and general husbandry. In this unit you will be working with our pigs, sheep, chickens and turkeys.
- Horticulture – learning about soil preparation, growing plants and being responsible for your own plot producing a range of fresh vegetables both outdoors and in the greenhouse.
- Caring for Small Animals – this unit is based around pet animals and learning about how to look after them, their anatomy, physiology, health and welfare. Snakes, lizards, tortoise, salamanders, axolotls, fish, frogs, toads, newts, spiders, beetles, millipedes and a range of small mammals including chinchillas and guinea pigs are some of the animals that you are likely to be working with.
From this introductory course students will be able to progress on to Level 2 courses or go straight into employment
Level 2 - First Diploma in Agriculture – this is a double option equivalent to four GCSE passes at A* - C.
This course is based at the College Farm. It is ideal for students who enjoy physical outdoor work in almost any weather. There are six units:
- Work Related Experience in Agriculture
- Agriculture Industry and Organisations – the first two units are carried out during a week's work experience at the end of Year 10 and an on going rota of Farm duties every morning during registration
- Tractor use – you will learn to drive our tractor and how to operate it safely. You will also cover how to load, unload, transport and use a selection of attachments
- Practical Land based Skills – covers how to use a range of tools for jobs such as hedging, fencing, stone walling and building structures like gates, stiles and nest boxes etc. You will learn how to put up boundaries such as post and rail and post and wire fences
- Introduction to Animal and Plant Husbandry
- Farm Animal Production – throughout these two units you will work with our Pedigree Gloucester Old Spot pigs, Pedigree Red Devon cattle, turkeys, chickens and our flock of Exmoor Mule sheep. You will learn about their accommodation, health and welfare, rearing and feeding, reproduction and care of lambs, calves, piglets and chicks. You will also study how to prepare, sow and look after a selection of crops.
This course is ideal for those students who want to continue to a Level 3 qualification in Agriculture in the Sixth Form or work in the wide range of agricultural and land based industries.
First Diploma in Horticulture - this is a double option equivalent to four GCSE passes at A* - C.
Plants must be one of the most important features of the survival of our planet. We use them every day for building, wearing, eating, producing fuel and feeding animals. They also ensure that on a planetary scale carbon dioxide levels remain safe. Learning how to grow, manage and maintain their environment is probably the most important thing you can do! Horticulture could also make you very wealthy! The Horticulture course includes:
- Work Related Experience in Horticulture.
- Horticulture Industry and Organisations – the first two units are carried out during a week's work experience at the end of Year 10 and throughout the course.
- Amenity and Decorative Horticulture – teaches you how to identify, grow and maintain ornamental plants, prepare the ground for them and ensure a supply for next year and for sale.
- Introduction to Plant Biology – gives students the understanding they need in key areas such as classification, anatomy and physiology
- Commercial Horticultural Crop Production – in this unit you will learn how to grow crops successfully, harvest and prepare them for sale and plan a cropping plan throughout the year. You will cover fruit, vegetable, and ornamental plants.
- Protected Horticultural Crop Production – in this unit you will grow a range of plants ‘under cover’ working in both heated and unheated greenhouses. Plants grown will be for food, display and sale
Students following this course will work at the College Farm gardens, the main College site, the landscaping of the New Horizons development and in parks and gardens across Minehead and West Somerset.
From this course students can progress to a Level 3 Horticulture course in the Sixth Form or go directly into horticultural employment. For example: Landscaping, Gardening, Sports ground management, or working in Community Parks and Gardens
First Diploma in Animal Care - this is a double option equivalent to four GCSE passes at A* - C
This course is based around our own animal collection housed in our new animal collection room in the Skills and Enterprise building, the Farm livestock and visits to places such as Paignton, Bristol and Exmoor Zoo and Tropiquaria, we will also be working closely with local pet shops and vets and organisations like the RSPCA.
This course is for students who are happy to work with a range of animals, have a genuine interest in their welfare and how to look after them properly. There are six units:
- Work Related Experience in Animal Care
- Animal Care Industry and Organisations – the first two units are carried out during a week's work experience at the end of Year 10 and an on going rota of Animal Care duties every morning during registration
- Introduction to Animal Biology – gives students the understanding they need in key areas such as classification, anatomy and physiology
- Animal Handling, Accommodation and Care – this unit covers the provision and maintenance of the correct accommodation, handling, transporting and restraint of animals. You will also learn about diet and nutrition
- Handling and Care of Ornamental Aquatics - during this unit you will learn how to set up and run Asian, African and South American aquaria as well as design and build an ornamental pond
- Care of Exotic Animals – feeding and nutrition of exotics, housing and habitats, and exotic husbandry
Fish, snakes, lizards, tortoise, salamanders, axolotls, frogs, toads, newts, spiders, beetles, millipedes and a range of small mammals including chinchillas and guinea pigs are some of the animals that you are likely to be working with along with our farm livestock.
This course is ideal for those students who want to study a Level 3 qualification in Animal Management in the Sixth Form or work in Veterinary nursing, the pet trade, or use it as the first step to becoming a zoo keeper.
First Diploma in Countryside and Environment - this is a double option equivalent to four GCSE passes at A* - C.
This course is very practical. The majority of it will be taking place outside when the work needs doing not when the weather is right! The course contains six units:
- Work Related Experience in Countryside and Environment
- Countryside and Environment Industry and Organisations – the first two units are carried out during a weeks work experience at the end of Year 10 and throughout the course
- Ecology of Trees, Woods and Forests – will teach you about the importance of woodland for commercial and wildlife benefit and the management of trees
- Practical Land based Skills –covers how to use a range of tools for jobs such as hedging, fencing, stone walling and building structures like gates, stiles and nest boxes etc. You will learn how to put up boundaries such as post and rail and post and wire fences
- Conservation and Improvement of British Habitats – covers types of local, national and international habitats, the wildlife that lives in them and their conservation. This will include practical conservation work on Exmoor
- Lowland Game Management – will cover gamebird production, predator identification and control, shootday activities, public recreation, forestry, agriculture, and the management of lowland gamebird species
This course is ideal for those students who want study a Level 3 qualification in Countryside Management in the Sixth Form or work in fencing, hedging, conservation work, game keeping, estate management, farming or working for the National Park or National Trust
Partnerships
To reinforce these fantastic facilities and the opportunities they offer we will be working with a number of Partners. These include: Exmoor National Park, The National Trust, The Crown Estate, Tropiquaria, Exmoor Zoo, Paignton Zoo, Alcombe Pet Centre, the Chargot Estate, White Lodge Veterinary Clinic and numerous local farms.
National Organisations and Initiatives
The Rural Dimension
We are a Specialist Technology College with a Rural Dimension.
The Subject Leader for Land Based Studies is a member of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust Rural Expert Panel.
The Subject Leader for Land Based Studies is the South West Coordinator for the Rural Dimension
Environmental and Land Based Diploma
Land Based Studies is involved with the development of the new Environmental and Land Based Diploma due to start in 2009. WSCC is a member of the Key Schools Workgroup for the Diploma Development Partnership.
WSCC will be the main delivery centre for the Diploma in the Taunton Deane and West Somerset Consortium.
Secondary Curriculum Review
Land Based Studies is working with QCA and FACE (Farming and Countryside Education) to ensure that the new Secondary National Curriculum educates learners about food production.
School Farms Network
The WSCC Farm is a key member of the School Farms Network and was involved with writing the Get Your Hands Dirty resource for all schools available on the Growing Schools web site.
Land Based Studies trips, visits and activities:
- Each year we visit the Devon County Show and sometimes the Royal Show
- We show our Exmoor Mule sheep at the local Dunster Show and have won several rosettes in the past.
- We show a turkey and lamb carcass at the Cutcombe Fatstock Show each Christmas and have in the past won Champion bird and First prizes
- In April 2007, HRH, The Prince of Wales invited us to have a look round Duchy Home Farm at Highgove.
Our Feeder Schools and local nurseries visit at certain times of the year to take part in a range of activities at the Farm
Sixth Form Land Based Studies residential Field Trip is held in Paignton each year where students complete a number of assignments whilst visiting Paigton Zoo, the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth and the Eden Project.
As part of their Star Pupil week Radio One visited us for a day and broadcast live from the College Farm and the Land Based Studies room along with special guests – McFly.
Uganda: in July 2008 a group from College are planning a return trip to Buhemba Secondary School and the Mabale Tea Factory near Fort Portal in Western Uganda. This is part of the Fair Trade tea link that the College has established. The focus of the visit is to develop their School Farm! In March 2007 they visited us and experienced amongst other things lambing for the first time .
For further information on our courses, the Rural Dimension, the School Farms Network, The Environment and Land Based Diploma or to arrange a visit.
Please contact:
Charles Olive
Subject Leader for Land Based Studies
The West Somerset Community College
Bircham Road
Alcombe
MINEHEAD
Somerset
TA24 6AY
(01643) 706061
Land Based Studies – by Royal Appointment !
2007 Annual Report
This year has seen the start of massive developments in Land Based Studies. From September we have offered for the first time six Vocational BTEC qualifications at Level 2 and 3 and have begun the move from the existing Farm Unit to our new site which is due to be operational from September 2008. This combination of vocational courses and state of the art resources and facilities will put the College Farm at the forefront of Land Based education in schools. We will therefore provide our students and eventually the wider community with the best Land Based opportunities of their kind in the South West.
Here is a brief summary of the year:
Visit to Highgrove
The highlight of the year has to be the invitation from HRH The Prince of Wales to look around Duchy Home Farm at Highgrove. A coach of students and staff travelled to Gloucestershire in the spring and were given a tour of the organic farm by the Farm Manager. It was a fascinating day and good to see that the Prince’s views are backed up by his own excellent agricultural practice on a normal farm that quite clearly was not run on Royal subsidies.
Radio One
Radio One was broadcast from College thanks to one of our students being Star Pupil for the Day. The other stars have to be our Gloucester Old Spot pigs who following a visit to the barn from McFly and Edith Bowman can thank Radio One listeners for texting in some names so we now have Daisy May, Florence and Mogoli.
BBC Somerset Sound
Having heard from Radio One, BBC Somerset Sound visited in April and interviewed some of the First Diploma Agriculture students as part of a programme that was focusing on rural issues and, in particular ,if there was a new generation that was keen to go into farming as a career to make sure that we all get fed in the future. There is !!
Rural Dimension Status
Following our redesigantion with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust we are now a Specialist Technology College with a Rural Dimension. This status recognizes the work of the Farm Unit and its students and will be key in developing a range of cross curricular links and community involvement in order to make the most of our new College Farm in the future.
Danesfield visit
Sarah Osbourne from Danesfield brought a group of Year 8 students in late June for a morning of mixed land based activities. The students started off in the LBS room handling and learning about our exotic animals before moving to the Farm Unit to dig spuds which they took home for tea and then, after cake in the potting shed, they worked hard on the new land at Conygar to make sure that when the grass seed is sown in the Autumn it gets off to a good start.
We look forward to other schools visiting next year.
Level 2 First Diploma in Agriculture (equivalent to 4 GCSEs at A*-C)
Thanks to Martin Atkins all of the students on this course were involved with shearing this year. They have also been busy completing assignments on a range of husbandry topics which have covered the care and preparation of our turkeys ready for Christmas and working with our flock of Exmoor Mules during lambing. We are now all looking forward to the first litter of piglets from our now Radio One famous pedigree Gloucester Old Spots.
Level 2 First Certificate in Animal Care (equivalent to 2 GCSEs at A*-C)
The new Land Based Studies room in the main College building has been the home of our developing exotic animal collection. First to move in were the axolotls and then the Persian Jird, Albino Corn Snake, Tropical fish, a breeding colony of six Leopard geckos, a canary, some pink winged and bud winged stick insects, and finally a Horned frog. As a result the Animal Care students have had first hand practical involvement with all of these amazing animals. This has been reinforced with visits to Tropiquaria where, thanks to Head Keeper Lee Jenkins, they have had the opportunity to work with, learn about and handle a range of exotic animals in their collection. A highlight of this course has to be the hatching of opur first baby gecko after an incubation of 55 days! We now look forward to the construction of our indoor pond!
Level 2 First Certificate in Countryside and Environment
The Year 11 students have worked hard to complete the course and Mr Fry’s Year 10 group have built fencing our new land at Conygar. Highlight for the Year 11 students was probably the visits to Chargot where thanks to Head Game Keeper ,Nick Bonniface who put them to work on shoot days beating and collecting game as well as managing habitats and erecting release pen fencing. Dave Gurnett from Exmoor National Park continues to work hard with the groups in order for them to learn a wide range of skills including, constructing stone banks, planting trees and monitoring the re-establishment of heather in the clear felled area on top of Grabbist.
Level 3 National Award in Agriculture (equivalent 1 A Level)
The Sixth Formers on this course have been learning about a range of biological systems in animals which culminated in the dissection of a pig’s digestive system and the four chambers of a cow's stomach. They have been shearing, practicing animal first aid techniques thanks to Paul Gannon from White Lodge Veterinary Clinic and making sure that our ewes remained in top condition throughout their gestation and during lambing.
Level 3 National Award in Animal Management
Some of these units are generic in the first year with those studying NA Agriculture. However, they have also been involved with ensuring the Farm Unit is making the money it needs to remain economically sustainable.They have units on Animal Handling, Ecology and Estate Skills to look forward to next year. One of which will include redesigning and then building a new Meercat enclosure at Tropiquaria.
Level 3 National Award in Horse Management
Periton Park Riding Centre have provided all the resources, facilities and training for the students on this course. During the year they have been focusing on Business Management, Stable Skills and Horse Husbandry. The group also had a good day at the Wimbledon Horse Trials earlier in the year.
Looking ahead:
Year of Food and Farming
This National initiative supported by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (formerly the DfES), Defra and the Department for Health is aiming to re-engage students and parents with the importance of Food and Farming in the UK. It effects everyone of us – we all eat! In College there will be numerous events, activities and competitions to enter.
For more information: www.yearoffoodandfarming.org.uk
School Farms Network
The SFN is part of the Federation of City farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG). The College has been involved over the last year in the production of a resource pack for all teachers. The pack contains information and guidance to schools on how to grow plants and keep animals in schools. Plants and animals in schools have huge potential to engage, enthuse and educate students in a wide range of curriculum areas.
The resource called ‘Get Your Hands Dirty’ can be found at the address below:
www.teachernet.gov.uk/growingschools/resources/teachingresources
The new College Farm
We’ve been working the land at Conygar that we are renting from the Crown Estate for a month or so now and this will be reseeded in the autumn. Groups of students have been making the site stock proof so that it will be ready for the suckler herd of Red Devon cattle that we would like and our existing livestock. The plan re almost finalized and construction is due to finished ready for the start of term in September 2008. The buildings consist of a sustainably built, carbon neutral and energy self sufficient s possible teaching block a large barn and new glasshouses. We have secured a large amount of funding but still need to find some more. The new College Farm will eventually become a resource not only for all the curriculum areas in the College but also for the wider Community. We plan to offer evening classes and maximise its facilities by using them during the schools holidays.
If you are interested in getting involved, donating or sponsoring resources or simply supplying some hard cash then please get in touch!
A final thank you must go to the students for coping with their outdoor classroom being slowly taken apart and moved elsewhere and to Dave Stacey who manages the stock with the students and ensures the Farm Unit runs smoothly 365 days a year.
Charlie Olive
Subject Leader for Land Based Studies