Every year usually around January Birmingham Education Authority mails an application form to every Nursery, Infant, Junior/Infant and Special school.

So on receipt of this application form it is then up to the individual school to apply for a visit to the farm.

The completed form then has to be returned by a certain date usually around early March.

On receipt of these forms, schools will be allocated a visit.

The schools will be matched as closely as possible to the requested date in order to match their curriculum topic planning.

Obviously, not every school will be able to be allocated their requested time so another date will be offered which it is hoped will be acceptable.

In these cases it is still expected that the school use the visit in the appropriate way by good preparation and follow up work related to the farm e.g. through a mini topic.

By April the schools should know whether they have a visit or not and what date the visit is and whether it is morning or afternoon.

Further information with regards to the visit i.e. teachers course, details of the visit, transport arrangements etc will be forwarded at a later date.

At the start of each term a course is held at the farm for all the schools booked in to visit during that term.

It is hoped that the teacher in charge of the class concerned will be able to attend to familiarise themselves with the surroundings, see what is available, understand what children can do, voice any queries or concerns.

The teacher can then in return prepare the children for the visit.

The course is held in the morning starting at 10.00 am and finishing at l2.00 noon.