Outdoor learning

Helping young people  who need it the most.

Enabling people with learning disabilities, autism and additional educational needs to learn new skills and build confidence in a safe nature setting. Our mission is to provide a safe, inclusive, positive, hands on, therapeutic learning environment for young people, particularly those who are experiencing high levels of adversity.  

 What is Care Farming?

Care farming means the therapeutic use of farming and nature-based activities. It is also known as social farming and green care.

It is a mix of structured nature programmes for people with a defined need to benefit health, social care or education outcomes.

 Young people attend care farms for a number of different reasons. It could be for specialist education, health & social care or health & wellbeing.

 Care farming is bespoke, person-centred and sessions are tailored to the individuals needs and abilities.

 Care farming is unique, young people are able to make a meaningful contribution to the day to day running of our farm. Through animal care, horticulture and equine care whilst learning at the same time.

3 routes  to choose from

1) Therapeutic Animal Care –-Spend one hour on the farm per session getting up close to our animals for a more relaxed session. Things that may be done during your time here include brushing cows or goats, walking goats or alpacas, sitting with animals, watching animals, playing and petting the animals.

2) Semi therapeutic / educational nature based– Spend two hours on the farm, assist our farmer with preparing food and feeding some of the animals. Learn something new each week as you work with a different group (or individual animal) spend time with our animals, brushing, walking and playing with them. Assist with a small amount of horticultural work, sowing seeds, planting, watering or harvesting.   

 3) Farming - educational based– Spend 2 or more hours on the farm.   Assist us with running the farm, feeding, mucking out, poo picking, erecting fences, moving animals, animal husbandry, planting trees, sowing seeds, harvesting and much more.

All of our programmes are adapted to the learning style of the young person and designed to meet their personal goals and outcomes.

Studies show that interaction with animals and being outdoors is therapeutic for all ages, especially children & teenagers with additional needs.

Student  Referrals

Referrals come from several places, we work closely with local schools and organisations as well as being members of Social Farms & Gardens, and Leaf Education.

 We will meet with the teacher or parents to discuss the young person’s needs and goals prior to their first day at the farm. We may request that a teacher or T/A attends with the student and schools with more than one student attending a session provide the appropriate ratio of staff to meet the young people’s EHCP.

Some of the referrals come from:

Our  Farm Animals

We have a mixture of animals, on our farm most are pets and rescue animals but we do have some commercial ewes for breeding. Their lambs are mainly sold to other small holders as breeding stock / pets.

We have over 100 animals including various breeds of sheep, pigs, Boer goats, pygmy goats, rescue hens, various other breeds of chickens, alpacas, cow and numerous horses and ponies on the farm.

Most of our animals are used to human interaction and love being hand fed and fussed.

Horticulture   Area

We have an area of the farm which is dedicated to horticulture with a fruit & salad polytunnel, educational polytunnel for students to sow and grow their own produce, a green house, herb garden, vegetable patches and a fruit patch.

Around the farm we have hedgerows and British native trees, and in 2024 we have already started to work alongside students to plant more trees, including a small apple orchard and plan to create two new garden areas, to include a sensory garden and a wildlife garden in 2025.

Wildlife.

Frampton Farm is a haven for wildlife including foxes, rabbits, badgers and birds. Although many trees have fallen over the years the family are working hard to plant thousands more UK native trees to not only encourage more wildlife but also to help the environment.

 The students will be playing a big role in rewilding some of our land, by planting more flowers and trees as well as making bird feeders and putting out nesting material for the birds.

Programmes /    Lessons

We have a loose structure for our sessions, but no two young people are the same, therefore all of our programmes are adapted to the learning style of the young person and designed to meet their personal goals and outcomes.

We will meet with the teacher or parents to discuss the young person’s needs and goals prior to their first day at the farm. Then we will continue to adapt as needed.   

AQA Unit Award Scheme (UAS)

Students can also work towards gaining AQA Unit Award Scheme (UAS) certificates in animal care and horticulture, or we can work alongside the schools to provide the education to meet their own curriculum. This is a great way to be rewarded for their hard work and achievements.