Primary school pupils in the north of the Island will learn about farming and food production ahead of studying the subject at secondary school.
Ramsey Grammar School is staging livestock roadshows for five primaries – Bunscoill Rhumsaa, Sulby, Jurby, Laxey and Andreas – over the next fortnight.
Ramsey Grammar breeds pigs, sheep and poultry at its Rural Sciences Unit, which is unique to the Island.
Students run the facility in the way they would a farm, caring for and feeding the animals, mucking out and carrying out maintenance.
Rural science is a compulsory subject for 11 to 14-years-olds and around a third of them go on to sit a GCSE in environment and land-based science. Post-16, the school offers a BTec in agriculture.
The school has a Rural Science Animal Club, which recently witnessed a live birth when a ewe delivered lambs. It ran a ‘virtual lambing live’ activity this spring, with students watching from classrooms by computer.
Meat is sold by Ramsey butcher W.E. Teare while farm produce is taken home by students and eggs used in cookery classes in the Flexible Learning Unit.
Marion Cottier, who heads the Rural Sciences Unit, said: ‘It is important for a rural school such as ours to offer students the chance to learn about an industry that’s traditional but one that is important to the economy today.
‘Although the north is heavily farmed, and many families’ livelihoods will be linked to farming, for some children it will be the first time they have come so close to such animals.
‘With the Government placing great emphasis on the development of the food and drink industry, the roadshows will introduce more children to the ongoing importance of farming to us as an Island.’
Marion added: ‘The roadshows form a fun part of the transition work our school does preparing primary pupils to start at secondary school.
‘We have breeding Poll Dorset sheep and we’ll take a ewe and new-born lambs in to primaries. Children will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage with the students while learning about the animals and the farming processes.’
She said: ‘Operating this facility has led to valuable links with the farming community that have enabled our students to benefit from related facilities and expertise. We have students who, thanks to these links, have gone on to work in rural industries.’
The roadshows are staged in conjunction with the Manx National Farmers’ Union.
Brian Brumby, President, said: ‘We solidly support the commitment shown by Ramsey Grammar to its animal unit, which has provided a valuable insight to hundreds of pupils across the north into agriculture and food production.
‘We particularly applaud the use of modern technology by, and the integration of, rural sciences into other areas of the curriculum, which demonstrates the many aspects of farming and food production – all useful life and work skills.’
Photo - Year 9 rural science students.
