From outdoor classroom to farm gate: Pilton school farm grows from strength to strength

The vision of a school farm at Pilton College has gone from strength to strength in three short years and has proved its worth for both students and the community as a whole.

There aren’t many school farms in the UK and even fewer at secondary schools, but Pilton Community Farm is not only thriving, it has plans to expand with traditional rural skills and animals set to be added in the not-too-distant future.

The two-acre farm beside the college and Pathfield School provides an invaluable outdoor classroom for students to learn about horticulture and agriculture, with everything on-site built by students under the guidance of the farm team.

The project was a vision by two Pilton headteachers after recognising that not every child thrives in an academic classroom setting and as well as offering the opportunity to learn new skills in a different environment, it gives students who may be dealing with other issues or anxiety a respite from that routine.

With two poly tunnels, raised beds and various plots, the farm produces a huge range of fresh produce from tomatoes, chillies, peppers, aubergines and marrows to carrots, flowers and pumpkins.

The public can buy a choice of freshly grown fruit and vegetables from the farm gate during week days, accessed by the footpath off Abbey Road which runs beside Pathfield School.

Pumpkins will take centre stage throughout half term week from Monday, October 26 right through to Halloween on Saturday, October 31, when from 10am to 12noon, people can visit and tour the extensive pumpkin patches to pick their own, as well as buy produce and pick their own dahlias too.

Visitors will also have a chance to find out more about the farm project. Since it is half term, people can drive in by the main Pathfield School entrance in Abbey Road and park near the farm – please do not park at the main Pilton College entrance.

The project is run by Mark King, school farm lead, as well as Lee Smith, higher level teaching assistant and administrator Michaela Masterson.

Mark said: “It was originally a vision in the school by two heads. One went to visit a farm in London that had children that struggle in mainstream school and saw their farm in action.

“It may be children that are generally down or have anxiety, or the lessons don't actually suit them and at that moment in time, they want to be out and get in some fresh air and regather themselves.

“There could be all sorts of things that make children come down, but we're open to any child coming down, with any situation that’s affecting them and we provide outside learning.”

Mark added: “We supply produce to the school, Pathfield School and the community. The students pick the vegetables and the fruit and the flowers within lesson time.

“They take care of orders and disperse the orders where they need to and they're serving the public off the lane, working out the change and bagging up and getting the produce ready for sale.

We run five periods. We have children on timetable and then we're open to walk-ins if something happens in the school and they can't quite cope with a day or anxiety or they just feel that they need to come down and have a quiet time.”

Assignment to the farm is by referral, with students or parents needing speaking to their tutor or head of year to gain approval.

The farm also works with the community – Pathfield has its own garden and the local Rotary Club visits each Tuesday to help work on projects alongside the students.

Exciting future plans include two new builds – a heritage skills building where students will be able to learn more and try traditional building skills such as stonewalling, masonry and thatching, plus a new agricultural building which in time will house animals for the farm.

But the team are keen to raise awareness of the project and invite more people in the community to become part of it.

Mark said: “The farm is open in the evening if anybody wants to come in and have a look and walk around as a community.

“In the future, we're looking for volunteer gardeners to come in and take ownership of the building and the grounds in time and when we have animals, we'd like the community to come in and help with that.

“I'm also trying to reach out to groups such as Men’s Shed and bereavement charities, because after 3pm, nobody actually uses this place so there's definitely scope for evening activities.”

Any community groups that would like to find out more or get involved with Pilton Community Farm can email [email protected] or if needs be, call the school office during school hours on 01271 374381.