What will your school trip look like?
Guided tour
Our knowledgable staff will lead your class around our 92 acre site – this includes our animal paddocks, pig woodland and an exciting new nature trail.
Meet the animals
Meet, stroke and feed some of our friendliest rescued residents. With over 350 animals on site, you’ll be spoilt for choice to find your favourite animal.
Educational workshop
Finish your day with an educational workshop tailored to your class’ needs. We explore themes of sustainability, climate change, biodiversity and the ethics of animal agriculture.
What facilities are in place?
Toilets
We have two (single occupancy) toilets available for public use. One is on the ground floor and another is on the first floor of our indoor classroom.
Please note that, regretfully, neither of these are currently wheelchair accessible and there are no baby changing facilities at present.
However we do have plans to build a new and accessible toilet block and baby changing facility soon, so watch this space!
Handwashing
It’s really important to wash your hands with hot soapy water after touching any of our animals.
We have two (single occupancy) bathrooms available for you and your students to wash your hands – one is located on the ground and the other is located on the first floor of our indoor classroom.
We do have plans to build a more accessible handwashing trough soon, so watch this space!
Picnic area
Feel free to enjoy your packed lunch in our new Outdoor Education Area next to our friendly ponies!
We have space for 22 visitors on our open-air picnic benches, or there’s our covered outdoor classroom which is suitable for seating up to 30 people. During colder months, our heated indoor classroom is also available for use.
Both our indoor and outdoor classrooms are fully accessible for wheelchair users.
Pricing
As we are a not-for-profit organisation, we rely heavily on public donations to continue the vital work that we do. That’s why we’re asking for a small contribution when you visit our sanctuary.
The cost of a school visit is £5 per head.
Contact kath@goodheart.org.uk or call 01584 891143 for more details about any of our educational offering.
FAQs:
Q: Will we have free roam of the sanctuary?
No – all of our field trips are led and supervised by our Education & Outreach Manager at all times. This means that we can ensure quality, safe interactions with our animals, as well as giving you an enriching and personal experience.
Q: How many students can I bring?
We are able to accept classes of up to 30 students, however we have found that students get a much better experience when in smaller groups.
For this reason, we would recommend a maximum group size of 10-15 students. This ensures a personal and engaging experience for all involved and lots of hands-on time with the animals for your students.
Q: Who leads the educational workshop?
Our workshops are led by our Education & Outreach Manager but we ask teachers and supporting staff to stay in the area to offer additional support for those students who may need it.
Q: Are your staff Enhanced DBS checked?
Our Education & Outreach Manager holds an Enhanced DBS Check which is available to view prior to your visit or on the day. None of our other sanctuary staff hold DBS checks. Your students will never be left alone with any member of sanctuary staff other than the Education & Outreach Manager (if necessary).
Q: Can we purchase hot food on site?
No – we ask all visitors to bring their own cold packed lunch which they can enjoy in one of our open air or covered seating areas. We do not offer public access to microwaves or ovens.
We do offer complimentary hot and cold drinks, as well as a few cheeky biscuits, during your visit.
Q: Where can we leave our coats and bags>
You can leave your belongings in our indoor classroom for the duration of your visit. Please note that this classroom will not be locked, so you may wish to leave valuable items at home or in your vehicle.
Q: What educational provision can you offer us pre- and post- visit?
We can offer your class a pre-visit video presentation introducing our charity and what we’re all about. This is a good way to start a new topic and helps enthuse your students about their upcoming trip!
During your field trip, we will offer lots of information about best practice animal husbandry as well as exploring the ways in which animal agriculture can impact humans, animals and our planet. We do this in person whilst touring the sanctuary, we also have educational signage available to read, and we offer a range of interactive and fun workshops for your students to take part in.
After your trip, we can provide you with a series of free digital learning resources, suitable for KS3 and KS4. These resources are designed with the science curriculum in mind and explore topics such as genetic engineering, artificial selection, communicable disease, and more. We also explore some of the ethics surrounding intensive animal agriculture practices.
Q: How do you ensure that students make progress during the visit?
Our lessons are designed by a qualified secondary science teacher so we understand the importance of assessing knowledge before, during, and after each educational activity in order to guage student progress.
Each workshop sets out specific learning objectives at the start of each lesson, and we make sure to check understanding at regular intervals using a variety of different means such as questioning and task-setting.
At the end of your visit, we will determine your students progress and understanding with a short informal assessment. This may be a snappy quiz, self-evaluation, or simply a whole class discussion.
We also ask your students and trip leaders to complete a short survey at the end of the day to help us better understand what we’re doing well and what we may need to improve on for future visits.
Q: Can you send us a risk assessment for the trip?
Yes – all visits are risk assessed prior to completion. A copy of the risk assessment will be emailed to the trip leader prior to the visit. We also ask school leaders to provide us with a copy of their own risk assessment prior to the visit so that we are aware of any specific student needs.
Q: What policies for diversity, inclusion and equality do you have in place?
At Goodheart Animal Sanctuaries we recognise that some people are particularly likely to experience discrimination and harassment, and we are committed to making sure we are as inclusive and welcoming as possible.
We aim to treat all people equally and with respect irrespective of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
If you would like to discuss any specific needs or requirements for your class prior to your visit, please do not hesitate to contact kath@goodheart.org.uk.
What do we have to offer your students?
Check out our indoor classroom facilities
As well as our beautiful 92 acres of woodland and pasture for students to explore, Goodheart Farm Animal Sanctuary also has a dedicated indoor teaching space, perfect for learning in all weather conditions.
Watch this video for a quick introduction from Kath, our Education & Outreach Manager.
Learning outside the classroom
If, like us, you’re passionate about protecting our planet and learning about the natural world, you’ll be interested to hear more about our new and exciting Outdoor Education Project.
And NEW for 2021 – we will be offering Forest School sessions for your chance to learn more about bushcraft, forest art, fire making and more.
Find out more about our education and outreach work.
We’re passionate about bringing our message to as many people as possible, but we want do do it in a way that benefits our visitors, our residents, and our local community.
