NFU Education is a team of former teachers who are bringing the farm to the classroom to help children learn about British food and farming.
They work with farmers, growers and teachers across the country to give children all the tools they need to learn how British farmers and growers are producing the raw ingredients that are turned into delicious meals on their plates, while also caring for the countryside.
The team creates award-winning educational projects, free of charge, which help teachers deliver curriculum-based learning through the lens of farming and put agriculture at the heart of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) in schools.
Since its inception in 2017, the team has educated and engaged more 1.2 million schoolchildren about British agriculture with its wide range of initiatives.
The story so far
- More than 1.1 million children have taken part in a live lesson.
- More than 25,000 children have participated in a Farmers for Schools assembly.
- More than 300 farmers and industry professionals are trained Farmers for Schools ambassadors.
Live lessons
Throughout the year, the NFU Education team creates a series of live lessons aimed at primary school children in England and Wales.
They are filmed live on location and teach curriculum content while showcasing awe-inspiring moments that happen on farms, such as lambs being born and chicks hatching.
They also celebrate milestones across the farming calendar, such as Harvest, British Science Week and Welsh Farming Week, which includes lessons in the Welsh language.
The live lessons have been described by teachers as “perfectly pitched”. Providing feedback after British Science Week, one teacher said:
“Having people who live and work in the real world can be a really inspirational and educational experience for our young people."
Secondary school Headteacher, Warwickshire, speaking about Farmers for Schools
“My class loved it and I now have 24 children all wanting to be a farmer. An excellent start to our career-related learning as well as being part of science week – thank you.”
Since its inception in 2021, more than 1.1 million children have taken part in a live lesson, with more than 404,000 participating in the last academic year alone.
Farmers for Schools
The NFU’s Farmers for Schools programme equips farmers and industry professionals to deliver a thought-provoking assembly in secondary schools about day-to-day life on their farm, giving students access to voices from modern farming.
Through their own experiences, Farmers for Schools ambassadors showcase the value of British farming and debunk any myths or misconceptions, as well as talking openly with students about agriculture in the UK.
Feedback from teachers has been overwhelmingly positive, with one headteacher from Warwickshire saying: “Having people who live and work in the real world can be a really inspirational and educational experience for our young people."
To date, over 300 Farmers for Schools ambassadors have been trained and delivered assemblies in more than 200 primary, secondary and SEN (Special Educational Needs) schools, giving more than 25,000 students an authentic insight into what it’s like to work in British food and farming.
“Perfectly pitched. My class loved it and I now have 24 children all wanting to be a farmer. An excellent start to our career-related learning as well as being part of science week – thank you.”
Primary school teacher, speaking about the live lessons for British Science Week 2024.
Show business
NFU Education is committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity within the agricultural industry. The team has taken 150 secondary school students, all of whom are not from a farming background, to some of the UK’s largest agricultural events, including Cereals and LAMMA.
The students got to see cutting-edge agricultural technology from leading companies in the farming sector first-hand, received guided tours around the shows by NFU Farmers for Schools Ambassadors and took part in hands-on practical tasks and workshops.
They gained valuable insights into the latest advancements in farming and explored the exciting opportunities within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers.
Year 9 student Eve said the experience had taught her “how hard farming is, how much work goes into it, and all the different types of farm machinery”. She went on to say: “I thought it was a tractor and that’s it”.
What’s next
Would you like to bring British food and farming to your local schools? Train to be a Farmers for Schools ambassador or follow us on Instagram.
With exciting projects coming soon, find out more with NFU Education.
