The UK school where classes are always beastly — on purpose
In addition to normal school subjects like maths and geography, the timetable at Woodchurch High School in England also includes livestock science. This can shape students' futures, as well as their social lives.
Early achievers
The farm at Woodchurch High School in the town of Birkenhead, near Liverpool, opened 13 years ago and teaches pupils how to work with animals, promoting mental health and self-confidence. Former pupils include dairy farmers and vets who found their vocation thanks to the school farm.
Better prospects
Woodchurch is one of the UK communities most affected by income inequality. To remedy this, the school strives to provide students with career possibilities that may well be far removed from the typical big city job.
Prize-winning students
Each year, students take part in the prestigious Royal Cheshire and Westmorland County Shows, demonstrating the skills they have gained from looking after their sheep, alpacas, goats, pigs and chickens. Many students win awards and recognition from agricultural experts.
Breathing room
Ella-Rose Mitchinson, 14, was named Student of the Year 2023 by the School Farms Network, a network of 140 schools. For her, the farm is a safe place, away from the world of social media and the stresses of teenage life. "It lets me breathe," says the student, who wants to become a veterinary nurse.
'Animals won't judge'
Megan Pitt and Corey Gibson, both 13, prepare their sheep for judging in the Young Handlers class at the Westmorland County Show, a large and important livestock show in the area. "It provides a happy place where you can be yourself," Gibson said. "Animals won't judge."
Rare breeds
Farm manager Linda Hackett shows pupils what it takes to be a sheep farmer. "Our little school, over 13 years in our 1 1/2 acres (0.6 hectares), has bred over 60 sheep," she says. "We've had lambs every year. Our sheep count towards the national census for the Rare Breeds Survival Trust." The school was given the rare North Ronaldsay sheep by the Scottish Orkney Islands 10 years ago.
Conservation skills
The North Ronaldsay sheep are counted in the national sheep census run by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, a charity dedicated to the conservation of native livestock breeds.
Academic and social benefits
"It is really important that they [young people] have an opportunity to achieve, to thrive, to actually show skills," argues school principal Rebekah Phillips. Other schools are also showing interest in the farm, but its many benefits have yet to be considered officially in the academic review system.