Following the success of both the Farmvention competition and Farming STEMterprise resources the NFU's education team was keen to share ideas and discuss how farming could be a unique way to educate the country’s learners about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). As well as Josh and Jennie sharing their success with the department, they were able to discuss the departments key priorities for the curriculum in maths and science - helping to shape the future of the NFU education team’s output.
Chief education manager Josh Payne said: "Meetings like these are vital to the success of our education work. Having a strong understanding of government objectives and policy on curriculum is essential to ensuring our education offering is as relevant and useful to teachers as possible. A huge thanks to NFU external affairs manager Liv Phoenix from our team based in Westminster, who was instrumental in securing this meeting."
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About NFU Education
NFU Education launched in 2017 to further the NFU's drive to connect children with rural life, develop their understanding of farming, and increase their awareness of the journey from field to fork.
- Over the past two years, 2,026 teachers have signed up to receive updates from NFU Education.
- The NFU's inaugural Farmvention competition received 1,025 entries in its first year.
- 62 NFU members have signed up to the NFU's new Speakers for Schools programme.
- By January 2020, 800 teachers will have taken part in training on the NFU's Farming STEMterprise educational resources.
Farmvention
Farmvention (when farming meets invention) is a national science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) competition for primary school children. The competition sets problem-based challenges, engaging children with key STEM topics while getting them thinking about the everyday challenges farmers in Britain face. Find out more at Farmvention.com.
Farming STEMterprise
NFU Education's latest initiative, Farming STEMterprise, builds on the work of the Farmvention competition by taking children through each stage of a farm business start-up, from growing their own ingredients and using market research to test ideas, to calculating expected profit and designing responsible packaging. The STEMterprise projects have been endorsed by the Association for Science Education. Find out more at NFUeducation.com.
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