What and Where is Herd Farm?
Herd Farm is a residential and activity centre owned and manged by Leeds City Council. It has a beautiful large site with an Iron Age style enclosure containing 3 replica roundhouses. https://www.herdfarm.co.uk/ Forest School Plusis freelance and has an ongoing collaboration with Herd Farm to enhance their offer.
What Outdoor Learning Does Forest School Plus (FSP) Do at Herd Farm?
We can accomodate curriculum linked outdoor learning to more child centred Forest School type sessions.
Most of our sessions at Herd Farm have been to support learning about Changes in Prehistoric times from Stone Age to Iron Age because Herd Farm has a reconstructed Iron Age enclosure with three roundhouses. Adjacent to this is a mesolithic camp built by FSP in June 2021.
Sessions about the Invasion of Britain by the Romans called "The Romans are Coming!" are also available.
Other sessions are possible including: curriculum linked outdoor learning and Forest School for pupils, and art/craft, group visits, team building or CPD for adults.
Contact Tina for details.
How Much do the Outdoor Learning Sessions Cost?
April 2023 – March 2024
Additional charges may apply for extra facilities (see above). Teaching base and lunch room must be booked directly with Herd Farm 0113 378 3088.
VAT applies in some cases. Prices are adjusted each year to reflect Leeds City Council's annual financial review.
Do you charge per child?
No, we charge by class as FSP can only work with one class at a time and the work involved is the same for a class of 20 or 30. Pupils in a smaller class may get more chance to engage in discussion.
Can we bring 2 classes at the same time?
Forest School Plus has a tiny team of two and we only have seating for one class in the roundhouse enclosure. Herd Farm is always keen to welcome classes. If you need two classes to come on one coach to make the visit economically viable it is worth contacting Herd Farm. Depending on availability they may be able to hire out an indoor space that your school could use as a class base for the day. Whilst one class works with their class teacher the other will be working with FSP outside. They can then swap after lunch. If this is possible there would be an additional charge - see above.
How are pupils kept safe?
Covid aware sessions began again in June 2021. FSP will continue to be Covid aware in order to keep well and prevent last minute cancellations. Sessions are risk assessed and planned to keep participants and FSP leaders safe. Full day sessions were reintroduced in September 2022. They will differ from previous full days. Close contact activities like face painting and dressing uphave been suspended until further notice. It is essential that a lunch room is booked when visiting for a full day. This is to ensure pupils have some respite in poor weather and so FSP can re-set the site as Stone Age will be taught in the morning and Bronze to Iron Age in the afternoon. Ideally there will be an hour for lunch to accomodate this. The morning session will be approximately 90 minutes and the afternoon session will be approximately 90 minutes.
Can classes eat lunch at Herd Farm?
Yes.
To eat lunch at Herd Farm it is necessary to book a room or space with Herd Farm. If there is availability they will host your class either in an indoor space (additional charge - see above) or possibly in the summer an outdoor picnic site (no charge).
Why come to Herd Farm to learn about Prehistory?
The Herd Farm site is awe inspiring.
The roundhouse enclosure is an exceptional resource for learning about Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age Prehistory and the Britons at the time of the Roman Invasion. Our Mesolithic Camp adjacent to the enclosure facilitates the time travelling experience during the visit.
Tina is an experienced teacher and Forest School leader ensuring that the concepts taught are relevant to the curriculum, accessible to KS2 and hands on when possible.
Ian is an experienced archaeologist ( http://www.ianrobertsarchaeology.co.uk/ ) ensuring information reflects current research and his own experience of experimental archaeology. He discusses and demonstrates the use of prehistoric tools with a collection of facsimile artefacts, lights fire using prehistoric methods and is happy to answer questions.