farmer gow's education
London
Farmer Gow's is registered with the Oxfordshire Work Experience Scheme. The farm
offers various work experience opportunities, depending on the age of the
student. The details below are not exhaustive – and with up to 20 changes to the
farm routine each and every day, throughout the year - students first and
foremost need to understand and appreciate the very unique work experience
opportunities which we provide. Students are interviewed prior to placements
being offered. What's involved? Work Experience is expensive to provide - we
therefore expect a huge commitment from students to achieve as near as possible
balance between the learning opportunities provided and the work a student
performs. If you want to work with animals, the very first thing you need to
understand and accept is that they need 24 hour/365 day a year care – so you
need to be committed. We don’t keep students who can’t make a regular
commitment. Farmer Gow's is a private company providing public access to farming
and the countryside. Our doors are open to the public for 358 days of the year -
we therefore need to ensure that you work carefully and safely - with both our
animals and our visitors. We will teach you to ~ listen carefully to
instructions follow those instructions and provide feedback to senior staff on
all elements of the task in hand We will encourage you to ask questions – but
also to make notes so that your questions come after a period of training,
rather than constantly interrupting the training. We will supervise you
thoroughly until we are sure you can follow instructions correctly and
accurately. As your confidence grows and your ability to correctly perform tasks
improves we will start to 'step back' and allow you to grow in the level of
responsibility we give you. We will challenge you - and if you work hard and
listen carefully - you will have a fantastic time. You will learn loads and
loads and loads. You will meet many new people and learn to talk to them, work
with them, and ask them for help. And that's just in your first few weeks... Age
14-16 years ~ Key Stage 4 We offer a 2-week work experience for students in
years 10 and 11. Students should apply by email, with brief details of their
interests. Every applicant is invited to spend a 1/2 day on the farm, to assess
their suitability for a placement. A placement is confirmed after the
introduction day, by email. Age 16-19 years ~ Key Stage 5 Students may apply for
a work experience placement from age 15 years and thereby start at 16 years of
age. The farm provides ~ 'hands on' practical and technical training to students
interested in veterinary and animal careers contacts for further work experience
opportunities with local farmers, businesses and government departments involved
in the agricultural industry opportunities for paid work once a basic level of
competence is achieved opportunities for paid work during
school/college/university holidays Depending on the background of the student we
would normally expect ~ From age 15 years ~ Year 1 at Farmer Gow's January-March
application to join the work experience programme. Student invited to spend a ½
day on the farm, working alongside an existing student, followed by a short
interview with a senior member of staff. September ~ following a successful
visit and interview, student begins a one-day per week work experience.
Introduction to the farm's routines, learning about everyday feeding, watering,
hygiene procedures, routine tasks, preparation of feeds for hand reared lambs
and kids. You will assist with twice daily 'Meet the Animals' sessions.
Mandatory – February ½ term holiday - a week’s work experience, either
Sunday-Thursday or Tuesday-Saturday. Mandatory – Easter holidays - one week work
experience during the school holiday - either Sunday-Thursday or
Tuesday-Saturday. This is our busiest time of year so you will be working under
pressure. Holidays ~ please note ~ We expect students to take no more than
2-weeks off during the May-June exam period. This is hay making time - and
understanding grass growing and harvesting is an incredibly important learning
experience. In line with statutory holidays students may take up to six weeks
(i.e. 6 days) holiday per year – one of which days will be during the Christmas
stand-down period. Year 2 One day a week continues through the autumn and winter
months. Most students arrange off-farm work experiences during the October
school holidays. Early spring - students work with newborn/hand reared lambs and
kids, refreshing/strengthening/practising Year 1 skills Students are set weekly
subjects on a whole variety of agricultural subjects for presentation to staff
the following weekend. This rapidly expands learning and awareness. Mandatory -
February ½ term holiday, Sun-Thu or Tue-Sat – lambing will really begin to make
sense – it’s a fantastic time of year. This year you may be able to assist with
a lambing, you will certainly be iodine-ing newborn lambs and giving ewes and
lambs heptivac injections. Injections, castration, foot trimming, ringing,
record keeping, ordering feeds ... there is much to practice and new jobs to
learn. Mandatory – Easter holidays - one week work experience during the school
holiday - either Sunday-Thursday or Tuesday-Saturday. This is our busiest time
of year so you will be working under pressure. You will be leading chick
handling, egg collecting and egg boxing sessions. Customer service - you should
be ready to start serving in the farm shop, welcoming visitors to the farm,
helping them with chick handling - and serving them on the till. When you can do
this, you will become a paid member of staff - if we have a vacancy. Working in
the farm shop can only be undertaken when a student has sufficient knowledge
from working on the farmyard. Visitors/customers have every imaginable questions
and you need to be able to answer them with confidence and knowledge. You will
be working with very young piglets, calves, lambs, kids, chicks, ducklings,
turkey poults - and their adults. You will be ear tagging, worming, foot
trimming, handling, feeding, moving – there’s never a dull moment at Farmer
Gow’s. You will work with younger work experience students and with children on
farm workshops – this will practice team leading skills Summer holidays - one
week work experience (if required) on farm - or a week at another local
farm/business. We will provide you with telephone numbers and a contact name.
You will have a wealth of farm knowledge and handling experience on all the farm
species - cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, geese, ducks and turkeys. You
will be able to lead small groups of visitors through Meet the Animals. You will
be able to answer their questions confidently and accurately. These skills are
particularly valuable for interviews with prospective employers/university You
will understand the 20+ animal medicines we use each year to safeguard our
animals; you will understand routine/seasonal tasks. You will be able to
medicate - orally and by injection - our farm animals. You will be able to
arrange other work experiences very easily - because you have reached a level of
competence which will be useful to other farms and businesses. When you have
passed your driving test - you will be able to join a high end dairy farm and
enjoy learning about milking and the dairy industry - unless of course you have
a parent willing and able to drive you to 4am milking. Post School and on to
University or other employment We will be very proud of you and want to know how
you are getting on We will welcome you back for summer/Christmas/Easter work We
will continue to support you - with references and contacts for further work
experiences Summary The above is a basic description of the work experience
opportunity available at Farmer Gow’s. We expect a lot – but offer a lot in
return. If the relationship doesn’t develop well – it is normally due to a lack
of commitment from the student. We will tell you and we will end the placement.
Finally (as if we haven't already said an awful lot) we ask you to sign up to
the above - and if you are under 18 years of age we ask a parent/guardian to
co-sign - so that we all know what has been agreed and what is expected. We look
forward to working with you. Applications By email to Sarah or Clara on ~
enquiries@farmergows.co.uk Please attach a current CV and make sure you also
include contact telephone number.
