Newsletter

Schools

Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association

Autumn/Winter 2016

Schools Newsletter 1

A look back at... Royal Norfolk Show 2016

This year’s Royal Norfolk Show provided 2 days full of a variety of learning experiences for more than 9,000 school children to enjoy the county’s biggest outdoor classroom.

New activities introduced specifically for school groups included a spectrum of Adventure Sheets, covering the three overarching themes of; Grow it, Cook it, Eat it, Heritage and Conservation, all linking with the new national curriculum. The adventures provided children with a shorter and more exciting way to delve further into various areas of the Show.

These areas included the new Broads and Tourism Village. Centred around the landscaped lake in the Countryside Area, this vibrant portion of the Show reflected the importance of the Broads and was a hive of learning opportunities for children.

A short distance away from the lake, schools found a firm favourite, the Discovery Zone. Formed by a cluster of exhibits hosting hands-on activities from science experiments with the Society of Chemistry to a wall climbing experience with Poultec Training, it was a space to have-a-go at some thing new!

Within the Discovery Zone sat the RNAA’s educational exhibit, ‘Over the Farmers’ Hedge’, focusing on a ‘Soil’ theme. The area provided children with the chance to explore soil with the Soil Association, Natural England and Master Composters, as well as joining in on educational

chats with RNAA Stewards about how soil helps grow the crops to feed the cows who produce the milk we drink, with the chance to watch cow milking demonstrations. Thousands of children also discovered the art of making their own healthy, tasty fruit kebabs and milkshakes with the Tesco Happy Eat Project.

Next door, in the RNAA Schools Exhibition Marquee, 12 Norfolk schools who had taken part in the RNAA supported SAW Trust and FACE ‘Lunch Box Science’ Project and the NEICG led Food and Farming Challenge displayed their engaging projects, alongside a wall of winning RNAA School Competition art and creative writing entries.

Another big hit with schools was the larger edition of the Active Norfolk Sports Zone, a courtyard full of sporting fun. Children were enticed in by a diverse choice of sports including tennis, football, cycling and canoeing, helping to build their excitement for the forth coming summer of sporting events ahead!

Providing a unique learning opportunity for young people and expanding the understanding of food, farming and the countryside is central to the Royal Norfolk Show. We would be very grateful for any feedback about your school’s visit to the Royal Norfolk Show, please visit rnaa.org.uk to let us know more!

A SHOW FULL OF ADVENTURES

Over 9,000 students enjoyed

this year’s Show

Interested in bringing a school group to the 2017 Royal Norfolk Show? Please find further details on visiting the Show and free tickets

included within this newsletter or visit www.rnaa.org.uk

The RNAA is offering school groups free admission for all school children and teachers/adult helpers within the

allowable ratios to visit the 2017 Royal Norfolk Show.

Schools must pre-order tickets at the latest by 2 June, for tickets to be received in time. School group tickets will not be available for purchase on Show days.

With a very successful year of school visits to the 2016 Royal Norfolk Show, the RNAA is now in the process of enhancing the educational elements of the Show even further for 2017. We are dedicated to ensuring schools take away as much as possible from their educational visit to the county show.

The Adventure Sheets for schools, introduced at the 2016 Show, will be available again. Currently being revised, these sheets give children a more focused learning experience for their day at the Show and compliment the themes of the 2017 Show. Available for all pupils from Key Stages 1 - 3, they will also provide updated links to the National Curriculum.

These new Adventure Sheets allow pupils to explore various areas of the Show including Mr Mawkin’s Farm, a hub of interesting animals, the Woodland Expericnce and the Broads and Tourism Village. Teachers will be able to find the Adventure Sheets to print from the Royal Norfolk Show website closer to Show time.

Secondary level schools also have the opportunity sign up their interest via the ticket application form for a Careers Trail hosted at the Royal Norfolk Show. Available for Key Stages 3 and 4, the trail, in conjunction with Norfolk County Council, Easton and Otley College and the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, will aim to educate young people about the nature of careers and progression routes into the land-based industry. Teachers will be able to opt to lead students to specific exhibits to meet industry professionals, who will provide invaluable industry insights from their own personal experiences throughout their career journeys.

The RNAA office are currently in the process of making the school ticket booking process easier for you, so details on how to book will be availble shortly. In the meantime, if you would like to register your interest or would like further details about visiting the Show, please visit www.royalnorfolkshow.org.uk or contact Education Project Manager Kate Forster at kate.forster@rnaa.org.uk / 01603 748931.

RNS SCHOOL

GROUP TICKETS

School child - FREE

Teachers/helpers within allowable ratios - FREE

Additional adult helpers £10 per head

School vehicle parking FREE

28 & 29 JUNE 2017School tickets available now!

NEW News Report Competition

The RNAA is introducing a new schools competition for Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils in Years 5-9 to create a news report focusing on issues around food, farming and the countryside.

Working in groups of 3 - 4, pupils will be asked to research and create a news report on an issue related to food, farming and the countryside.

Entries must be submitted in the form of a written newspaper article. A team of judges will select 10 finalist schools to go through to the next stage of the competition, where the teams will work with the Writers Centre to create a videoed news report, which will be displayed in a reel on screen at the Show. Winners for each category will then be selected after this stage.

Competition entry forms and entry dates will be available soon, but in the meantime if you would like to register your schools interest for the competition or would like further details please visit www.rnaa.org.uk.

A one-stop shop careers and skills festival, bringing together the county’s businesses with its young people.

Bring your students to see over 70 exhibitors across a full range of career options at the Norfolk Showground. For ages 14 - 25, both for school parties as part of OFSTED’s IAG guidance and as a provider of independent advice.

Interested? Visit www.rnaa.org.uk for information about how to register.

The Grow Your Own Potatoes (GYOP) challenge, organised by AHDB Potatoes, is a hands-on experience, which teaches primary school children how potatoes grow and how they fit into a healthy, balanced diet. GYOP is linked to the National Curriculum, with over two million primary school children having benefitted over the past 12 years.

As part of this national schools initiative, the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Assocaition stages a regional event of the challenge at the Norfolk Showground. The first part of this event will be on 8th March, with the second part taking place at the Royal Norfolk Show in June.

Registration for this year closes Friday 29th January 2016. If your school is interested in taking part, you can register at www.gyop.potato.org.uk and you will be contacted by the AHDB Potatoes team with further details about how to apply for the Norfolk Showground Potato Days.

The Norfolk Spring Fling is a fun and educational day for children aged 4 - 11 years, at the Norfolk Showground.

Come along to learn more about Food, Farming and the Countryside. There’s lots to see and do, with over 70 interactive stands, a range of animals and our popular tractor rides.Visit www.springfling.rnaa.org.uk for further details. Tickets will be available on-line in January.

Dates for your diary

Agri-Tech Taster Sessions for Year 12’sThe 2016 Agritech Taster Course provided ambitious Norfolk and Suffolk 6th form scientists with the opportunity to learn about the cutting edge research and business opportunities occurring in agricultural technology that will shape the future of the world.

The course took place over two days at Easton and Otley College and the John Innes Centre. The first day focused on the use of technology in the field including the use of GPS and precision farming. Students were also introduced to the workings of the wheat commodity market through an interactive scenario based game.

The John Innes Centre on the second day allowed students to discover more about the laboratory based side of agriculture and engage with some of the region’s world leading researchers and facilities. There were a variety of talks and lab practicals focusing on developing plant immunity. They were also able to have a look around the impressive Earlham Institute and find out more about their work on genetic coding.

Students came away from the course with an increased awareness and understanding of the opportunities and career paths in the agritech industry.

For further details and for information for the 2017 event, please visit www.rnaa.org.uk

Points of interest...

Norfolk Skills and Careers Festival8 & 9 March 2017Following a highly successful pilot competition which was

concluded on the 2016 Royal Norfolk Show ‘Grow it, Cook it, Eat it’ Stage with 3 finalist schools and Mary Kemp, Monty Don and Richard Bainbridge, the RNAA are inviting Year 10 students to enter this year’s competition, with the final taking place at the 2017 Royal Norfolk Show.

In groups of 3-4, students will be set the challenge to create a meal for an athlete, using local Norfolk produce.

Designed to link with the National Curriculum, the competition will have a 3 stage judging process and must show development of the concept, recipe and include the packaging design.

Closing dates will be confirmed soon. If you are interested for your school to take part in the competition and would like further details or for us to add your school details to the contact list please visit www.rnaa.org.uk or contact the Kate in the RNAA Office on 01603 748931.

The competition is open to Norfolk, Suffolk & Cambridgeshire Schools.

NEW RNAA Nutrition KitchenSchool Competition - Register your interest

Grow Your Own Potatoes Challenge8 March & 28/29 June 2017

Norfolk Spring Fling Tuesday 4 April 2017

Royal Norfolk Show28 & 29 June 2017

Pond Dipping by the lake

NEW Schools Cookery Competition with Mary Kemp,

Monty Don and Richard Bainbridge

Schools Newsletter 4

NEW The Art of Butchery Show

Cow milking at the Over the Farmers’ Hedge exhibitionNEW Military Zone

President’s visit to the Schools Exhibition Marquee

Royal Norfolk Show 2016 Photo Album

None of the educational elements at the 2016 Show would have been possible without the generous support of the following sponsors

THE

MORLEYAGRICULTURAL FOUNDATION

G W Daniels & Son