RHET Ayrshire & Arran CI
RHET Ayrshire & Arran Countryside Initiative (AACI) works to support schools in the region with projects and topics on food, farming and the countryside.
We aim to provide a balanced, reliable and independent source of information about farming, food production and other aspects of the rural economy. The main services we offer are Farm Visits, Classroom Speakers, Projects and Curriculum-linked Resources to Primary and Secondary schools.
Last academic year AACI facilitated 51 Farm Visits and 104 Classroom Talks across Ayrshire and Arran.
All RHET Farm Visits and Classroom Talks are tailored to suit each individual request.
A farm visit or classroom speaker can fit in with 'A Curriculum For Excellence', helping you work towards Eco-schools, Determined to Succeed, Hungry for Success, and Health Promoting Schools targets whilst providing a valuable and memorable learning experience for children involved.
RHET Ayrshire & Arran Countryside Initiative are grateful to LEADER Ayrshire for their contribution towards the secondary school careers days at SAC Auchincruive. For a full list of RHET's funders and supporters, please visit the Funding page of this website.
CLICK HERE for the latest news from RHET Ayrshire & Arran CI
Below are some of the ways in which RHET Ayrshire & Arran CI can help add value to your teaching on farming, food and the countryside in your local area:
For Primary and Secondary schools.
RHET Ayrshire & Arran CI has a number of farms in the area with a network of volunteer farmers and their families who kindly give their time to support RHET. A farm visit can support many areas of the curriculum such as environmental studies, IT and business studies, technology, science, mathematics and enterprise. It supports the principles of A Curriculum for Excellence and complements many initiatives such as Eco Schools, Determined to Succeed and Health Promoting Schools.
We carry out regular risk assessments of all participating farms to the standard recommended in the Health and Safety Executive’s Guidelines on Educational Excursions. Around two weeks prior to the actual visit, the class teacher will visit the farm with our Project Co-ordinator to meet the farmer, walk the route and check over the risk assessment.
NB: Limited funding is available to cover transport costs for Farm Visits.
To book please click here to visit the Farm Visit page, or contact the RHET Ayrshire & Arran CI Project Co-ordinator (see bottom of page).
For Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools. Also see Early Years Resource Box.
We have a network of trained RHET volunteer classroom speakers, made up of volunteer farmers from the local area, who can visit your school and bring farming and the countryside to life. Once a booking has been confirmed, the speaker will contact the teacher to discuss the format, content of the session and curriculum links.
Some ideas are:
- The story of milk, from cow to carton
- A day in the life of a farmer
- Scottish agriculture
- From farm to fork
- Recycling on the farm
- Careers in the countryside
These are only suggestions and all talks are tailored to meet individual needs.
To book please click here to visit the Classroom Talks page, or contact the RHET Ayrshire & Arran CI Project Co-ordinator (see bottom of page).
TEACHER TRAINING
We hold teacher training days where primary and secondary teachers discover how RHET Ayrshire & Arran CI can provide resources and services to compliment classroom topics.
To book please contact the RHET Ayrshire & Arran CI Project Co-ordinator (see bottom of page).
RESOURCES
Schools can order a range of curriculum-linked classroom resources direct from RHET. We have a number of interactive materials covering subjects such as meat production, farming across the seasons, standard grade Geography and a newly-developed Higher Biology online resource.
All RHET resources are FREE to schools in Scotland. Please see the Resources page of our website for the full list.
The following resources are available specifically to the RHET Ayrshire & Arran CI area:
Rheeta the Milking Cow:
For Nursery and Primary schools
Rheeta is a life-size fibreglass milking cow who travels in a horse box and can visit primary and nursery schools with suitable access. Rheeta is provided in conjunction with a classroom speaker - usually her farmer - who will give a talk on dairy farming and milk production and give pupils the opportunity to “milk” the cow.
To book, please contact the RHET Ayrshire & Arran CI Project Co-ordinator (see bottom of page).
Early Years Resource Box:
For Nursery schools and classes.
We have an Early Years Resource Box, which is usually provided in conjunction with a classroom speaker.
This is a treasure chest for children! Filled with dressing-up clothes, CDs, DVDs, toys, puppets, books and farm products, it gives children an early experience of what is seen and heard on the farm and farming life in general.
The classroom speaker will bring the box to the school or nursery and talk to the children about food and farming for about 15 minutes. The box will then be left with the establishment for two weeks and collected by the Project Co-ordinator.
To book, please contact the RHET Ayrshire & Arran CI Project Co-ordinator (see bottom of page).
PROJECTS & EVENTS
As well as our farm visits, speakers and resources, RHET also run a number of events and curriculum-based projects throughout the year.
Visit our Project & Events page for more details.
NEWS FROM RHET AYRSHIRE & ARRAN CI
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CONTACT RHET AYRSHIRE & ARRAN CI
If you would like to arrange a farm visit or classroom speaker for your school, or for any other information, please contact the local Project Co-ordinator:
Susan MacDonald
Tel: 01290 550 039
Email ayrshire@rhet.org
