Derbyshire school offers BTEC in animal care on its own farm
Kirk Hallam Community Academy came under new leadership in 2020, and has already made huge strides towards improving the sense of community, pride and attainment ambitions among pupils.
But it is its farm, which is drawing attention for all the right reasons, with its ethos of rescuing, not buying, then teaching the kids about animal husbandry and care. Currently the school offers a BTEC Level 2 in Animal Care, but from September this will develop into a BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Animal Management, which will help students progress on to relevant university courses.
Head Teacher Damian Belshaw, who took over last May, said: “The farm at Kirk Hallam Academy brings something to our school that very few other schools can offer. Our scholars benefit from being close to nature and can experience a totally unique and diverse curriculum offer at all ages.
“We look forward to growing the farm and ensuring that we can remain at the forefront of teaching about environmental issues with the help of our amazing animals.”
On the school farm there are Gloucestershire old spotted pigs, Barnevelder chickens, Boer goats, South American alpacas, guinea pigs and rabbits, while the immersive classroom includes geckos, bearded dragons, snakes, a tortoise, giant African land snail and Madagascan hissing cockroaches.
Ambitious plans include setting up an aquatic tank for exotic species, incubating and hatching chicken eggs and expanding the reptile community. More goats will be added to the menagerie, and by the summer they plan to create a large aviary for exotic birds.
Adopt, not shop
Mr Belshaw added: “Our animal care staff are trained and passionate about animal rights and welfare and we are striving to rescue animals rather than purchase, therefore looking for animals that need rehoming is the primary objective.”
The BTEC Level 2 Animal Care course has been running for three years, but with the school under new leadership, the animal unit is now well underway to becoming a true spectacle in animal education.
The teacher running the course has 12 years of experience in animal care, and the scholars will learn practical hands-on skills, as well as the theory of animal handling, care, health, management and housing. They also – when conditions allow – get to visit local farms and Twycross Zoo.
Starting in September, due to popular demand the school will be offering a BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Animal Management. This will be available to post-16 scholars to bridge the gap between the Level 2 course and universities/ related jobs roles.
Even if students don’t go down the BTEC route, from years seven to 11 they can choose electives in animal husbandry, which can include feeding the pets to making enrichment games to keep the animals entertained.
The headteacher added: “We are aware of the correlation between animal care and good mental health so we greatly appreciate that our scholars are happy to interact with the animals and the animals are often eager and happy with the interaction from the scholars.”
The school also has a garden which the pupils help maintain, including a polytunnel for growing vegetables, with the aim of creating a sustainable food source for the farm.
If you are a current parent, or are considering Kirk Hallam for your child, visit www.kirkhallamacademy.co.uk for more information.