Schools are set for a sizzling time at this year’s Lincolnshire Show

18 May Schools are set for a sizzling time at this year’s Lincolnshire Show

Students from the Priory Academy

More than a thousand young people will be taking part in the Schools Challenge at this year’s Lincolnshire Show, in the competition which tests their understanding of food, farming and agriculture.

This year’s challenges range from learning about the optimum growing conditions for potatoes to coming up with a marketing strategy to encourage young people to visit the Lincolnshire Show.

And there are 46 primary, secondary and special schools taking part this year – more than ever before, as organisers have expanded the Show schedule to allow more entrants.

“We’ve been oversubscribed every year so for 2012, we’ve adapted the judging timetable to take place over two days, and have taken over the whole of the main exhibition hall to satisfy demand from schools,” explained Phil Everett of Lincolnshire Education Business Partnership, organisers of the competition, which is sponsored by Farmacy, Uncle Henry’s, Barbara Welby Trust and  E Park and Sons.

Also on the timetable for schools will be a visit to the Show’s Discovery Zone, where they will be shown farming techniques and food production methods at first hand, including From Pork to Fork: The Story of the Sausage.  They can then try their hand by having a go at making sausages back in the Schools Challenge area, with Uncle Henry’s cafe and farm shop.

Alongside the Schools Challenge, many more schools visit the Show for educational visits to learn about agriculture and farming in their home county.

The Schools Challenge also includes a professional development day for teaching staff on the first day of the Lincolnshire Show, and this year the theme is conservation, which is being supported by the Woodland Trust , Farming and Countryside Education (FACE), Sustainable East Midlands  and Uncle Henry’s.

To book visits or find out more about the Schools Challenge, contact Phil Everett at the Lincolnshire Education Business Partnership, on 01522 574100

 

The full list of schools taking part (in alphabetical order):

Ancaster CE Primary School

The Axholme Academy

Bishop King CE Primary School

Branston Junior School

Dunholme St Chad’s C of E School

Grantham Additional Needs Federation

Grasby All Saints C of E Primary School

Grimoldby Primary School

Hartsholme Academy

Hawtonville Junior School

Hibaldstow Primary School

Humberston C or E Primary School

Ingham Primary School

John Fielding Community Special School

Kesteven and Sleaford High School Selective Academy

Lacey Gardens Junior School

Lady Jane Franklin School

Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School

Marton Primary School

Monks Abbey Primary

North Kesteven School

Osgodby Primary School

The Priory School

The Priory Witham Academy

Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar – A Selective Academy (Alford)

Saint Norbert’s Catholic Primary School

Scampton CE Primary School

Scawby Primary School

Sir John Gleed School

Sir William Robertson High School

Skegness Grammar School

South Parade Primary School

Spalding Monkshouse Primary School

St Bernards School

St Francis Special School

St Georges Academy

The St Lawrence Academy

St Lawrence School

Stamford Queen Eleanor School

Tetney Primary School

Toynton All Saints Primary School

Trent Valley Academy

Welton St Mary’s CE Primary School

Wragby Primary School

The challenges:

 

01 Alternative Materials

Curriculum Links: Science, Citizenship

Students investigate non-food crops and research the carbon footprint of their school.

They should develop ideas on how to make their school more sustainable and compare the

available fuel options to find which would be most suitable for use in school.

 

02 Improving my School Grounds

Curriculum Links: Art and Design, Citizenship, Geography

Students are tasked with the challenge to improve their school grounds. They should

create a design portfolio of their ideas which should encourage input from the wider school

community. Previous examples have included a sensory garden and a vegetable patch.

 

03 Farming Past, Present and Future

Curriculum Link: History

Students compare the technology and culture of the past, present and future farming

communities within their local area. Students can present their timeline, using any method

that engages the audience.

 

04 Design a Healthy School Dinner

Curriculum Links: Design and Technology – Food Technology

Students research what is meant by healthy eating and use this to plan a menu of a healthy

two-course meal that could be served at school. Where possible, ingredients should be

home-grown or locally produced.

 

05 Advertising the Lincolnshire Show

Curriculum Links: ICT, Media studies, Business Studies

Students critically analyse the existing strategies used to advertise the Lincolnshire Show.

They should then develop new concepts which will promote The Show to young people whilst

reducing the environmental impact of the event.

 

06 Growing around the Globe

Curriculum Links: Modern Foreign Languages, Citizenship

Students investigate which crops grow best in the British climate and compare these with the

types of crops which would thrive in a school garden on a different continent. They should

contact this school by post or email in the correct language if feasible.

 

07 The Potato Challenge

Curriculum Links: Design and Technology, Science

Students grow potatoes and experiment to find the optimum growing conditions. They may

develop recipes using their potatoes, which, along with the remaining potato plants will be

judged at The Lincolnshire Show.

 

08 Design from Nature

Curriculum Links: Art and Design

Students study a range of design techniques using different shapes, fabrics and textures. They

should then research designs from nature which can be replicated