Home Education sessions on the farm offer an opportunity for Home educated young people to learn about our animals, engage with nature, and make friends!
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Introducing weekly home education sessions at Southampton City Farm!
Running every Tuesday afternoon from 1-2.30pm and Thursday Morning 9:30-11 during term-time. Tuesday is open and available for all ages. Thursday is for ages 4-11 to enable a younger age group to access the farm. Southampton City Farm strives to create an inclusive, holistic learning environment where children can join in with practical and creative activities. The group runs with a maximum of 8 young people, across all age groups. Adults are welcome to participate in learning, or stay for a cup of tea in our community room. Each session will include a practical task such as mucking out, grooming, feeding, growing vegetables for animal food, and creative learning which includes drawing from life, natural art, building bug-hotels. Supporting SEN learners is at the core of what we do. We believe that provision built for children with SEN improves learning for everyone. We do ask that all young people are respectful, use kind words, and are kind to others. Any adults/carers/parents who join the session, please do support your young person with this farm ethos. Although the activity is run by a member of staff, we do ask that all adults are responsible for their child's behaviour within the session. |
Cost:
£10 per child through the booking system |
What will you be doing?
When we can, we will be posting specific session plans below to help with what to expect!
While we hope to keep the content of sessions the same as advertised, plans may need to change on the day if the weather is particularly wet or windy.
Goat and sheep care week: Tuesday 22nd and Thursday 24th April 2025
-Clean out the barn where the goats and sheep sleep and refresh the pens with hay, straw, water and food ready for bed
-Forage for weeds and greens from the garden to feed to the goats and sheep (go in the field with Pygmy goats, Nubian goats Guernsey goats and Sheep)
-Groom the goats and take the goats for a walk around the farm
Guinea pig and rabbit care week: Tuesday 29th April and Thursday 1st May 2025
-Clean out the guinea pig and rabbit enclosures and refresh with clean bedding
-Prepare the guinea pigs and rabbits lunch - Chop up fruit and veg and forage for weeds and greens from the garden
-Guinea pig and rabbit handling and grooming
-Weigh the guinea pigs and health check them
Reptile care week: Tuesday 6th and Thursday 8th May 2025
-Clean out the reptile enclosures
-Feed the reptiles - forage for weeds from the garden, chop up fruit/veg, feed them bugs/learn about importance of calci-dust on the bugs
-Learn about each of the reptiles and handle them/learning how to handle them safely and correctly
-Bath the reptiles and learn the importance of it and talk about how baths help them shedding
-Weigh the reptiles and health check them
Farm tour: Tuesday 13th and Thursday 15th May 2025
-Meet and feed most of the animals - explore the farm feeding and handling the animals; going in the field with the goats and sheep, handling the guinea pigs and reptiles in the small animal room
Woodland and animals: Tuesday 20th and Thursday 22nd May 2025
-We will start the session meeting and feeding treats to some of our smaller animals like the guinea pigs then we will go into our woodlands and toast marshmallows round a fire.
Chicken and duck Week: Tuesday 3rd and Thursday 5th June 2025
-Clean out the chicken and duck coops (X4 coops) and refresh them with fresh food, water, grit and bedding ready for bed
-Egg collecting and compare the different eggs and learn how they are formed/ importance of grit
-Forage for weeds from the garden to create enrichment for the chickens and ducks
-Chicken handling and feeding them some corn
Goat and sheep care week: Tuesday 10th and Thursday 12th June 2025
-Clean out the barn where the goats and sheep sleep and refresh the pens with hay, straw, water and food ready for bed
-Forage for weeds and greens from the garden to feed to the goats and sheep (go in the field with Pygmy goats, Nubian goats Guernsey goats and Sheep)
-Groom the goats and take the goats for a walk around the farm
While we hope to keep the content of sessions the same as advertised, plans may need to change on the day if the weather is particularly wet or windy.
Goat and sheep care week: Tuesday 22nd and Thursday 24th April 2025
-Clean out the barn where the goats and sheep sleep and refresh the pens with hay, straw, water and food ready for bed
-Forage for weeds and greens from the garden to feed to the goats and sheep (go in the field with Pygmy goats, Nubian goats Guernsey goats and Sheep)
-Groom the goats and take the goats for a walk around the farm
Guinea pig and rabbit care week: Tuesday 29th April and Thursday 1st May 2025
-Clean out the guinea pig and rabbit enclosures and refresh with clean bedding
-Prepare the guinea pigs and rabbits lunch - Chop up fruit and veg and forage for weeds and greens from the garden
-Guinea pig and rabbit handling and grooming
-Weigh the guinea pigs and health check them
Reptile care week: Tuesday 6th and Thursday 8th May 2025
-Clean out the reptile enclosures
-Feed the reptiles - forage for weeds from the garden, chop up fruit/veg, feed them bugs/learn about importance of calci-dust on the bugs
-Learn about each of the reptiles and handle them/learning how to handle them safely and correctly
-Bath the reptiles and learn the importance of it and talk about how baths help them shedding
-Weigh the reptiles and health check them
Farm tour: Tuesday 13th and Thursday 15th May 2025
-Meet and feed most of the animals - explore the farm feeding and handling the animals; going in the field with the goats and sheep, handling the guinea pigs and reptiles in the small animal room
Woodland and animals: Tuesday 20th and Thursday 22nd May 2025
-We will start the session meeting and feeding treats to some of our smaller animals like the guinea pigs then we will go into our woodlands and toast marshmallows round a fire.
Chicken and duck Week: Tuesday 3rd and Thursday 5th June 2025
-Clean out the chicken and duck coops (X4 coops) and refresh them with fresh food, water, grit and bedding ready for bed
-Egg collecting and compare the different eggs and learn how they are formed/ importance of grit
-Forage for weeds from the garden to create enrichment for the chickens and ducks
-Chicken handling and feeding them some corn
Goat and sheep care week: Tuesday 10th and Thursday 12th June 2025
-Clean out the barn where the goats and sheep sleep and refresh the pens with hay, straw, water and food ready for bed
-Forage for weeds and greens from the garden to feed to the goats and sheep (go in the field with Pygmy goats, Nubian goats Guernsey goats and Sheep)
-Groom the goats and take the goats for a walk around the farm
