School visits and nurture groups
Bring learning to life with hands-on school visits to Oxford City Farm. Students explore animal care, seasonal growing, food production, and nature-based activities while building confidence, wellbeing, and practical skills.
Help your students learn about nature, food, and animals by experiencing it firsthand!
Our popular school visits offer a unique opportunity for students to get involved with the work of a community run City Farm. During a visit, activities include animal care, seasonal planting, harvesting and processing of fruit and vegetables, learning about farming and wider food production, our natural environment and our relationship with it.
Weekly Nurture Group
Facilitated programme of weekly visits of up to 12 students.
Developed in consultation with you and the students.
Provides children with a nurturing, safe space to learn and explore at their own pace. Sessions consist of focused, seasonal activities in horticulture and animal care, as well as self-led learning and play.
Seasonal Facilitated Session
2 hour duration
Groups of up to 30 students
Includes seasonal activities that complement and enrich students’ learning. Developed in consultation with you, fitting with the school curriculum, tailored to your class/ groups’ needs.
£250 per session
Multi-Visit Discount Available
Self-Led Visit
Fridays, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
A basic tour led by a member of staff while the farm is open for the Community Farming Session
Includes a short orientation and safety briefing, then time for you to explore the farm with your own staff, in small groups.
Must be well supervised entirely by your school staff.
£60*
*We never want cost to be a blocking factor for local schools to access the farm. Please do reach out to us. We are happy to discuss how we can help to support you.
Menu of Learning
Explore our menu of session learning content. We can help cater for the specific needs of your group.
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Growing vegetable crops, dairy, eggs, meat.
Understanding the process of our food systems (meat and plant based) and their effect on humans, the environment and food security. eg. growing, importing, travel, packaging. Approaches such as agro ecological food or organic farming.
Energising positive solutions to problems (food waste, animal and worker welfare).
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A closer look at the dairy process, including implications on the environment, humans and animals and discussing dairy alternatives.
Milk products: eg. butter, cheese.
Dairy animals: Animal care, welfare and working with animals on the farm. How we milk goats at Oxford City Farm.
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A closer look at poultry farming and its products- eggs or meat, including implications on the environment, humans and animals.
Chickens: Animal care, welfare and working with animals on the farm.
Cooking with eggs
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Farm to fork. Harvesting produce, using raw ingredients, cooking on a budget.
Using indoor or outdoor kitchen or fire pit.
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Growing plants for food. Sowing, nurturing and harvesting. How we farm vegetables through the seasons.
Implications on the environment, humans and animals and food security. Farming for nature.
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Soil structure and ecosystem. Implications of farming on soil health (vice versa). Wormeries and composting.
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Community solutions to climate change. Responding to our environmental resources and our energy needs.
Solar power, rain water irrigation and heat pump technology on the farm.
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Community solutions to climate change. Responding to our environmental resources and our energy needs.
Solar power, rain water irrigation and heat pump technology on the farm.
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Woodwork, building structures for the farm.
Bushcraft
Crafts with natural materials eg. willow weaving, wool and fibre crafts, nature prints, natural dyes.
Why Choose Us?
Wellbeing: Nurture your students’ physical & mental well-being with a combination of physical activity, interaction with animals and connection with nature.
Experiential learning: Learn new skills related to farming, gardening, and environmental conservation.
Community Connections: Empower students' ability to play an important role in their local community.
Promote Communication and Team Building: Strengthen your students’ speech and language skills and relationships through collaborative group activities.
Help our farm with vital time & funding: As a busy working farm, we'll always need help to achieve our goals, and you'll be helping get us there!
What people say about our sessions:
“The sessions not only support classroom learning but also promote wellbeing and offer experiences that many of our pupils wouldn’t usually have access to — such as caring for animals, exploring sustainability or understanding where their food comes from.”
- Teacher, Rose Hill Primary School.
“This place does magic. The kids feel anxious, here they are the happiest kids ever”
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“Watching the children holding the chickens, it’s a whole other kind of school you’ve got here”.
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“This makes the rest of my week tolerable.”
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“Can I stay here for my whole life?”
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“This place does magic. The kids feel anxious, here they are the happiest kids ever” 〰️ “Watching the children holding the chickens, it’s a whole other kind of school you’ve got here”. 〰️ “This makes the rest of my week tolerable.” 〰️ “Can I stay here for my whole life?” 〰️
Selecting the right session for you
If you are interested in visiting Oxford City Farm for either a self-led or facilitated school visit, please reach out, using the link above or email schools@oxfordcityfarm.org.uk for further info.
We are happy to arrange a time for you to visit us, see the site and discuss options. Please get in touch
Other ways to work together
School Outreach
With thanks to Oxford Community Foundation, we have been awarded funding to run a number of assemblies and workshops in local schools for 10 - 14 year olds. Get in touch if you would like your school to be part of this project.
Thinking about setting up a growing project or animal care initiative at your school? We can provide consultation and guidance to help bring your ideas to life!
Venue Hire
We have also worked with homeschool groups and adult SEN education providers as a venue hire location and are always interested in exploring new collaborations. Let’s discuss how we can support your project!
All groups must book in advance. We are a small site and can accommodate a group of up to 30 well supervised children. We generally need at least two weeks notice to plan and organise a session but appreciate as much notice as possible.
Important information before your visit
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Please read the Risk Assessment before your visit.
A member of staff will also give you a health and safety introduction when your group arrives.
School staff will be responsible for supervising all students at all times and managing any behaviour issues.
Please ensure that all group members wash their hands after touching animals, before eating, and at the end of their visit.
There are beehives and a pond on site, please make sure your staff know where they are and that children need to be supervised at all times.
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The farm is an inclusive space; we have a wheelchair accessible toilet and we are actively working to increase participation for people of all abilities and needs. We can adapt all workshops if necessary to support all members of your classes to experience the opportunities at the farm.
Please contact us in advance if you have any special requirements and fill out our adjustment plan if necessary.
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Toileting and Hand Washing - There is one composting toilet as well as a toilet block, including hand washing facilities. There is also one wheelchair accessible toilet, accessed by a ramp.
Eating Areas - There are several spaces for your group to eat onsite, though these may be booked for other sessions; at picnic benches or fire circle; under cover or in the fresh air. Please avoid eating in the yurt.
All groups must book in advance. We are a small site and can accommodate a group of up to 30 well-supervised children. We generally need at least two weeks notice to plan and organise a session but appreciate as much notice as possible.