Working with our members听and teachers at schools across the country听we want to听give children all the tools they need to learn听how听British听farmers and听growers are听producing the raw ingredients that听are turned into听delicious meals听on their plates.听
And the best way to听accomplish this mission is to put agriculture at the heart of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in schools.听听
We provide award-winning STEM resources free of charge to ease the burden on teachers and address the听lack of understanding of where food comes from among children.听
As part of the Back British Farming campaign this is a priority for the NFU all year round, but during May and June 2021 we stepped up our efforts as schools were playing catch up after numerous lockdowns. 听
Here鈥檚 a snapshot of some of the things we have been working on:听听
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- A听range of free, engaging听projects听for听children ages听4 鈥� 11.听听听
- Children听are challenged with听setting up a farm shop business:听growing their own ingredients, using market research to test their ideas out with potential consumers, calculating expected profit, and much more.听
- They听are听taken through each stage with practical Science, Maths and Design & Technology lessons.听
- This resource was shortlisted for the BETT 2022 awards, BETT 2020 awards, ERA 2020 Awards and was the winner of the Teach Primary 鈥楤est STEM resource 2020鈥�
Find about more Farming STEMterprise on our NFU education website: 听
Farmvention (when farming meets invention):听
- A听national competition for听children ages听5 鈥� 14, where children are given problems to solve听based on听the day-to-day issues faced by farmers and growers in England and Wales.听听
- They听can win a range of prizes,听including听a farm visit for their class and the opportunity to present their ideas at the House of Commons.
Visit our website to learn more about Farmvention: 听
Farmers for Schools:听听
- NFU trained farmers to deliver an interactive assembly or group discussion on modern farming at secondary schools, challenging misconceptions and preconceptions the students may have about agriculture in the UK. 听
Live Lessons:听听
- A series of live lessons called 鈥楽cience Farm LIVE!鈥� were created during British Science Week 2021 and 2022, aimed at children ages 4 鈥� 11. 听
- They were filmed live on location and听teach听their curriculum content听such as life cycles and adaptations, alongside showcasing awe inspiring moments that happen on farms, such as lambs being born and chicks hatching.听听
- The live lessons have reached almost 300,000 children and over 1,500 schools so far, with work continuing.听听
Levelling Up听
We鈥檙e working with听several听organisations to gain additional funding from the government. We鈥檙e campaigning for听STEM Learning through Agriculture to be part of the Prime Minister鈥檚 Levelling Up strategy.听
Here鈥檚 a summary of what we have been working on:听听
- We published a report on 鈥業nspiring STEM Learning through Agriculture鈥� which听showed听the value of using agriculture as a context for听teaching听Science and Maths. This can go further to听help听fill the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths skills gap in the UK.听
- A range of organisations pledged their support at our roundtable led by our President Minette Batters on听鈥楬ow can agriculture plug the STEM skills gap?鈥櫶齌his includes support from Robbie Moore听MP听(Keighley and Ilkley, West Yorkshire).听
- We have also gained support from听Education Select Committee members听David Johnston听MP听(Wantage, Oxfordshire)听and听Caroline Johnson听MP听(Sleaford and North Hykeham, Lincolnshire), and听BEIS听(Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)听Select Committee member听Nusrat Ghani MP听(Wealden, East Sussex).听听
- David Johnston MP tabled a question to the Secretary of State for Education, asking what assessment his听department has made of the potential merits of including agriculture in the national curriculum.听
- More round tables are planned, where we will听agree a plan of action on听how to further听promote听agriculture as a valuable tool for听Science and Maths听education.听听