Just to the west of Ferry Meadows, away from the bustle of public visitors, the River Nene winds its way through an historic field system of pasture and arable land. This area is the Nene Park Rural Estate, a large agricultural landscape owned by Nene Park Trust and managed in collaboration with our share farming partners. This land is managed using sustainable practices, which help to protect our environment while also providing food for our tables. 

As well as supporting our wildlife and economy, this beautiful landscape is now available to provide opportunities for education, as the Nene Park Trust education team have developed a range of agricultural education sessions for children from KS2 to A-Level. 

Education and Learning Manager Anna Thompson said: “The Nene Park Rural Estate is a great place to extend our outdoor learning programme. From our base just outside Castor, we are able to access a wide variety of habitats that are not available in Ferry Meadows and so increase the range of topics we are able to offer.  We are especially excited about the potential of the Rural Estate to support delivery of the secondary and post 16 curriculum.”

Agri-Education sessions available for booking now include:

KS2 Farming and Land Use: In this half-day course, students will visit the Rural Estate to explore different land uses and discover how farming practices can impact on the environment. Nene Park Trust have funding to offer a limited number of free bookings for this session. Please contact us to find out whether your group would be eligible

KS3/4 River Features and Processes: Students will look at features of the river and investigate the impact of human influence on the river system. Depending on the season, there may also be an opportunity to carry out fieldwork to measure the flow of the river at different points.

A-Level Biology Sampling Techniques: Students will gain experience using a range of sampling techniques and equipment while carrying out data collection for their required practical. Sessions are tailored to meet the requirements of all the main examining boards. 

The Nene Park Trust education team are still developing more activities to take place on the Rural Estate and are keen to hear from any teachers or educators who have ideas for how this opportunity may benefit their students.

To book an educational visit to the Rural Estate, or to discuss what we can offer your students, we'd love to hear from you! Please contact the Nene Park education team: [email protected]