Prospectus
Year 7 Students Participate in a Falconry Display
BTEC Level 2 Extended certificate Countryside and Environment
As part of the recently introduced Countryside and Environment course, students recently took part in a Falconry display to learn about the food chains and natural world of birds and game keeping.
Our year 7 year group were split into two and saw the display on separate days to fit in with their timetable. The students were enthralled by the beautiful and powerful birds who performed to appreciative audiences and some students were lucky enough to get to hold the birds.
When The Downs School was first opened in 1960, its curriculum was very much grounded in its surroundings and environment, with lessons including tending plants and looking after farm animals. We continue to appreciate our rural surroundings and its relevance to the present and our future. We have this year introduced a BTEC course in countryside and Environment starting in year 7 and completing by the end of Year 9. It is the equivalent of up to 2 GCSEs.
The course is strongly based in science and we are developing it as part of our science specialism.The students will get hands on experience and practical based learning in agricultural studies. Students will study three units from Year 7 to Year 9:
¤ Animal and Plant Husbandry
¤ Introduction to Environmental Studies
¤ Introduction to Countryside Access and Recreation
Each student will have a portfolio folder where they will keep evidence and coursework collected over the 3 years.
As part of the vocational element, a range of activities have been organised including a visit to Bucklebury Farm to look at the husbandry of animals and after autumn half term the school will be rescuing 6 battery hens that the students in Year 7 will be looking after and nursing back to full health as free range hens. There are also a number of guest speakers and practical activities such as planting and crop husbandry that will be carried out at school throughout the year as well as another trip to Sheep Drove Farm in the spring.
