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Review
of
Countryside Live at The Ledston Estate
Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 May 2009
"Even the toilets and handwashing had its attractions"
Thanks to the continued support of the Wheler Foundation, Countryside Live North was held for the fourth time at The Ledston Estate near Castleford. 3000 Yorkshire children and their teachers, from 58 schools enjoyed learning about the countryside. Feedback received from schools has been very positive, all hoping that the event will take place again.
Some photos of the event and comments from teachers and exhibitors.
" We will have weeks worth of work from the visit and will use the resource packs we have ordered to inform lessons next year."
| "The llamas were a great success and the horseracing was a new event which enthralled the children, including maths information provided in an exciting way." |  |
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"Our objective for the visit was to provide the children with a fun day out which was educational, our objectives were very much met, with the visit covering many curriculum subjects." "We have enjoyed the last two years and it has spurred us on to develop our extra curricular work largely based on your ideas, resources and experiences gained from the day. Thank you so much." |
| "The children were enthralled all day with the animals and events." |  |
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"We wanted to make sure the children enjoyed a new experience. We brought inner city children to the country, some had never been there before." |
| "My pupils were captivated by the pigs, sheep, dogs, ducks and birds of prey." |  |
| "Follow up will take place in various curriculum areas, but particularly in speaking and listening activities. We have 18 languages at school and this kind of experience provides ideal stimulation for talking and language development.." |  |
| "My pupils were totally captivated and gained a lot from being spoken to by exhibitors, they had all their questions answered. It was the best educational visit I have ever been on and I would definitely go again next year." |  |
| "Children videoed parts of the day on digital blue cameras and they will add commentaries. We will write instructions on how to make a bird feeder; calculate the age of a beech tree etc." |  |
"Organisers and exhibitors were without exception, helpful, friendly and extremely well informed and organised. Children were excited and enthusiastic about the whole experience and wanted to tell everyone back at school all about it. Thank you for a wonderful day." If you enjoyed meeting the Llamas and the Llama Gymkhana, then you are very welcome to vist Helen at the Saddleworth Llama Trekking Centre, for more information, please visit their website www.saddleworthllamatrekking.com |
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"Very good, lots for the children to see. A good mix of structured/informative/informal activities. " " We have set up lunch time clubs based around 'country pursuits' and this we hope to extend. We have already visited a farm and are going to the Yorkshire Show to meet the fly fisherman, amongst others, to look at setting up an accredited course." |
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| "A super group of leaders had activities to educate in a hands on way. The setting provided a wonderful natural environment." |  |
| "EXCELLENT" |  |
| "Children understood more having seen the actual animals and walked amongst the trees, hearing about the growth of timber and food chains it provides." |  |
| "The children seemed to really enjoy the day and the support from CFE staff made it very easy to be an exhibitor" |  |
| "Well worth the effort, excellent opportunity to promote rural issues and get the message home re 'wildlife crime'." |  |
| "Lovely venue, lovely people, efficient as ever, satisfying and all good fun. We really enjoy working with you." |  |
| "Marvellous experience for children, especially from urban areas. Particularly inter-active with animals on our stand." |  |
| "It is a pleasure to deal with you all from The CFE. Difficult to see how this well planned and rehearsed event can be improved. Well done to you all, another brilliant (but exhausting!) event." |  |
| "As usual, well organised, well run and well planned to give the children a real taste of the countryside." |  |
The
following are some extracts from thank you letters that we received
from children from
Swillington Primary School.
| "It took months and days to set all of it up and thank you for doing that." Chloe "The woodland was marvellous, I learnt that slugs suck the grease off the trees and creatures eat the sugar off the trees." Lizzie "Thank you for letting me stroke the hawk and the owl." Carl |
"Thank
you for all the things you have done for all the schools. My
favourite activity was making beeswax candles, after doing that
my hands smelt like honey for the rest of the day. P.S. I learned
a lot." Jack "I loved the dogs, the corn dollies and the birds of prey and I learned how to put a number on a pigeon's leg." Storm
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"I did not want to go home, it was so good." Scott "The best of the best was corn dolly making. It was good finding out what you can make out of corn . I thank you again." Julia "I enjoyed watching stuff in the arena and everything else. I would like to come again." Danny "I really enjoyed coming to Countryside Live. I like making things like willow wreaths." Luke |
"Thank you for everything, like helping the mini-bus to come in and helping us over the road." Dylan "Thank you for letting us go to the countryside. I liked the ducks and one of them had laid an egg." Bradley "I loved the willow dome and the weaving and mostly everything, thank you for organising it." Arran "Thank you for setting that fair up for us, it was really good learning about the llamas and the birds. I think the candle making with the kind lady was good." Abbey |
| "I liked the birds of prey while I was eating my dinner." Joseph "I loved watching and making everything and watching the birds of prey diving and soaring through the sky." Tara "I really loved the llama gymkhana, it was fun watching all of the other schools. I can't thank you enough." Abigail |
"Thank you for organising a fantastic school trip." Hannah "The pigs and the sheep were nice. The pigeon stand was interesting and the sheepdogs were very well trained." Jamie "I liked the way they put the numbered bands on the racing pigeon's leg with the machine.Does it hurt the racing pigeons when you put it on?" Jordan NO JORDAN IT DOESN'T HURT THEM |
| "I had a wonderful time, I liked the sheep and pigs, llamas, pigeons, sheepdogs and gundogs. I liked the woodland walk and learned about photosynthesis . I like it all." Daniel "I enjoyed making those circles out of willow by weaving it." Sian "I had a good time making corn dollies, just had a little trouble making it. I think Ledston should be an open place for everyone." Lauren |
"I thought that the sheepdogs rounding up geese was good and funny. I also learned how to train your dogs and what Llamas look like and that they spit." Emily "My favourite part was when the man got the bird in the trees. I liked the bird close up." Courtney "My best bit was the man swinging the meat for the birds." Lucy "Thank you for a great day yesterday, I enjoyed every bit of it. The woodland was really good, I learned loads." Tom |
"I had lots of fun and I liked all the activities, but my best one was the Llama Gymkhana." Ben "I was fun having lunch outside for a change, thank you for organising it." Ryanne "My favourite part was everything, because I enjoyed everything there. I wish I could have stayed for longer." Eleanor |
"I didn't know that deer lived in the woods. I have never seen a hole in a tree made by a woodpecker. I have never seen slugs up close. I enjoyed the birds flying they were just so so sweet." Leanne "All the schools will enjoy coming to Ledston, thank you for all that you put on." Sam |
A very big thank you to all involved, for your part in making this event at the Ledston Estate such a successful and valuable one.
For
free downloadable online resources please
refer to the Countryside
Foundation for Education website
and also the Teaching
Trees website
For farms to visit go to the Farms for Schools website