All the fun at the farm for Walker pupils

Newcastle school children got a taste of country life when they visited Hall Hill Farm in Lanchester, near Durham.

Twenty-eight Reception pupils from St Alban’s Catholic Primary in Walker swapped their classroom for the farmyard for the day, where they met a host of different animals – and even got up close and personal with some of them.

“The children got a tour of the farm on foot and were able to feed the sheep, goats, and llamas,” said Reception Class Teacher Lindsey Green, who accompanied the group, along with Teaching Assistant Chloe Ridley and Apprentice Teaching Assistant Tamalla Stewart.

“They went on a tractor ride around the farm. The children saw some peacocks, turkeys, and other small birds in the aviary. They held chicks and guinea pigs, and fed a baby lamb its bottle.”

The trip also brought to life topics the class had been studying at St Alban’s, which is part of the Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust.

“The children had been learning all about growing and changing, and looking at adult and baby animals and how they are similar and different, and also how they – the children – change as they grow,” continued Miss Green.

“They were also learning about going on a journey, so it was a good opportunity to talk about the journey on the bus and around the farm.”

It was the third time that children from St Alban’s had visited the farm.

“Trips like this are essential for the culture capital of the children in our school,” added Miss Green. 

“Some of our children lack those extra-curricular experiences which other children get from their families, due to low income and being in a deprived area.

“It enriches the curriculum and gives the children a better learning experience. It allows the children to apply the new vocabulary in a real-life setting.”​