agricultural education at hagley farm school historical perspective…

Agricultural Education at Hagley Farm School

Historical Perspective…

• During the 1930’s Hagley Farm School joined the network of Tasmanian Area Schools.

• These schools catered for students from Kinder to Grade 10.

• The Area School curriculum was largely about Agricultural Education and regular activity was carried out on the farm and in the garden.

• The cottages at Hagley were established to accommodate high school aged students

• These students carried out farm and garden duties before and after school

• Ag Ed teachers, cottage care staff and farm managers were funded by the DOE.

• Since the early 1970’s Hagley Farm School has been a K-6 primary school.

• During the 1970’s the Environment Centre was established to take advantage of the existing facilities and farm

• Initially DOE funded 5 Environment Centre Teachers and a Farm Manager

• The DOE now funds 2 Environment Centre Teachers

• The DOE ceased funding farm wages many years ago. The Farm Manager and other casual wages are funded through farm revenue.

Current Agricultural Education at

Hagley Farm School

… and Connections with the School Farm

Farm Squad• Involves a small number of Grade 5/6 students throughout the year (6 in 2015)

• Regular farm tasks negotiated with/requested by Farm Manager

• Currently a weekly roster that operates on Thursday afternoons.

Milking

• Optional participation for Grade 5/6 students

• Approximately half of the 2015 Grade 5/6 students have participated this year.(50 students)

• Offered during the milking seasons

School Garden• Has existed in some form at Hagley for

many years.

• Optional participation for all classes/teachers

• Current location was established in 2007 and has undergone extensive development over the past 5 years (through significant volunteer hours and sponsorship)

Egg Heads … an Environment Centre enterprise

•Free range egg collection•One class per term (Grades 3-4 usually)

Other Occasional Access based on:• Seasonal farm activities• Optional class teacher planned

activity that supports class learning

• Tractor rides (special occasions)

Grade 3-4 Camp• Accessed through the Environment Centre

booking system (normal camp visitor fees apply)

• 2 night - 3 day camp hosted & lead bi-annually by Environment Centre staff

• Full range of Environment Centre activities are available (Farm, Heritage, Environmental)

Farm Science Program• A program lead by Environment Centre Staff• Involves students from Prep to Grade 6• 5 x 1.5 hour on site sessions in a 5 week block• Follow-up activities in class• Accessed through the Environment Centre booking system … ie: school pays normal day visit fees

• Booking fees currently funded by P&F

A Few Observations …

• Whilst the agricultural education activities at Hagley Farm School are significant and provide Hagley students more opportunities than most other Tasmanian students, there is no formalised Agricultural Education curriculum.

• Since the 1970’s the school farm has existed as a key part of the agricultural awareness model of the Environment Centre.

• Tasmanian schools that have a formalised agricultural education curriculum are generally regional K-10 high schools with designated staff and timetabled lessons.

• Most of these schools have a farm facility.(non-commercial, student enterprise based)

• A variety of models exist across these schools and all are challenged by funding issues.

• Most primary schools have a garden program of some sort. A variety of access models exist.

• The Environment Centre staff are not appointed to support the Hagley Farm School curriculum. They are accessed through the Environment Centre booking system and fees apply.

To Set The Scene … …the 3 silos model1. Hagley Farm School

2. The Environment Centre

3. The Farm

Leadership Team

Hagley Farm

School

Environment

Centre &School Farm

Education

School FarmCommercial

Farm Management Group

School Association

Future Directions

Group

Centre for Agricultural Education

Parents and Friends Association

Friends of the School Group

The School Farm

• An Agricultural Education facility that supports Environment Centre programs

• Current operational model:

… a self-funded commercial enterprise

The Environment Centre

•An Ag Ed visitor centre: camps and day visits

•Staff: 2 FTE Teachers funded by DOE

•All operations plus a number of casual positions are self-funded

The Environment Centre is part of:

1.A state-wide Agricultural Education network

2.A network of DOE field centres

The Agricultural Education Network

•A state-wide network being lead by the Centre for Agricultural Education

•Driven by clear connections with the Australian Curriculum

•Guided by DOE Learners First strategy

DOE Network of Field Centres

• Hagley Farm and Environment Centre

• Woodbridge Marine Studies Centre

• Sustainability Learning Centre

• Molesworth Environment Centre

• The Centre for Agricultural Education

The Field Centres are connected by:A Strategic Plan that embodies:

•Clear connections to the Australian Curriculum

•Activity that reflects the Learners First strategy

•The delivery of high quality educational experiences

•Evidence based Improvement targets

The Centre forAgricultural Education

Provides leadership and support to all schools in Tasmania that offer

agricultural education programs.

Most of these schools have a farm facility.

The Centre for Agricultural Education

•Established through a memorandum of understanding between state government, DOE and Hagley Farm School

•Lead Teacher position is DOE funded for 4 years from 2015

• Initial Operational funding sourced through PIEFA (Primezone Partnership)

The Centre for Agricultural Education

•Actively seeking further funding from industry, business and government sources

• Important funding and support from DOE e-Learning through the DOE e-Strategy

• In discussions with TFGA – Agriskills representative and UTAS re possible partnerships

The Centre for Agricultural Education

Vision:

Relevant Agricultural Learning that strongly reflects the Australian Curriculum

The Centre for Agricultural Education

Mission:

To provide leadership and support to schools and educators that strives to ensure high quality agricultural learning experiences across Tasmania.

The Centre for Agricultural Education

The Hagley Farm School and Environment Centre is one client

All schools that provide Agricultural Education, with or without a farm facility, are clients

The Future Directions Project

Initiated as a result of discussions between:

• Centre for Agricultural Education

• Environment Centre

• Hagley Farm School Leadership Team.

Future Directions Group

A focus on improving the

educational experiences offered at our

Environment Centre and School Farm

Why a Future Directions Group?• The Environment Centre has prioritised improvement through:

• connection with the Australian Curriculum• use of technology• facility development

• Centre for Agricultural Education assists schools state-wide to implement & improve Agricultural educational provisions

Environment Centre Educational Improvement Priorities …

• connection with the Australian Curriculum

• use of technology

• facility development

The Focus for Future Directions…

… Improvement of educational provision at the

Hagley Farm and Environment Centre

The Strategy…

Facilitate a conversation about current and future educational provisions at the Environment Centre and school farm.

The Next Step …

To explore models that provide the Environment Centre with the best opportunities for:

Ongoing Viability

Improvement

What we have tried so far …

In consultation with the Farm Management Group …

• Initiated a detailed Ag consultant report.

• Used a Pasture management consultant.

• Reduced expenses wherever possible.

Major Challenges Moving Forward …

• Low milk pricing • Fixed labour costs • Water allocation• Limited future years provision• Dairy requires significant upgrade

Environment Centre …

… snapshot of educational experiences and Visitor Numbers

Total Visitor Numbers 2010 - 2014

2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

4297 4540 4538 5382 4819

Average Annual Visitor Numbers

2010 - 2014

4715

Educational Experiences

Heritage Farm Environmental0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

>55

>85

<30

Based on 5 year average

Farm Tour & Tractor Ride

Dairy (Walk

Through)

Dairy (Milking)

Shearing (Walk Through)

Shearing (Shearing)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

>95

>60

<20

>60

<2

Farm ExperienceBased on 5 year average

Future Directions Group

Recommendations

Future Directions Group Recommendations

1. Share information presented at Future Directions workshop with the school community and seek feedback to guide further recommendations.

• School Association

• Parents and Friends Association

• School Staff

• All interested members of the school community

Future Directions Group Recommendations

2. Explore operational models for the Environment Centre and school farm that:

• Reflect feedback from recommendation 1.

• Consolidate and progress the core Agricultural, Heritage and Environmental Education experiences

• Allow Environment Centre revenue to have a greater impact on improvement priorities

• How can Environment Centre revenue better impact improvement priorities?

• Are there alternative farm models that would allow significant improvement to occur?

Guiding Questions?

Environment Centre Educational Improvement Priorities …

• connection with the Australian Curriculum

• use of technology

• facility development

Your Feedback …1. Complete the individual reflection

sheet

2. In small groups; share and collate ‘must haves’ and ‘ideas for consideration’

3. Share to whole group