Guidelines for Helpers

Here are a few guidelines and tips that we hope you will find helpful!

Health and Safety

This is mostly common sense, don't forget to ask the teachers for help in keeping the group together!

• Smoking is not permitted

• Be aware of tractor movements on the farm, keep children together and do not let them run ahead. You go around the corners first!

• Children must be supervised near animals and not enter pens.

• All visitors must wash hands after the visit and especially before eating food. Food must only be eaten during the designated lunch break at the remote lunch spot and the Centre. Handwash spray disinfectant will be distributed to all school party leaders to ensure that hands can be cleaned at the remote lunch spot and out of Centre toilets.

• Do not let children climb on bales, machinery, gates, walls or fences.

• There are bins at the remote lunch spot and around the activity routes. Please use them or take your litter home. Litter can kill animals and spoils the countryside.

• No groups should enter any fields unless under supervision, the crops may have been treated or the field contain animals.

Crowd control and teaching tips

If you think you are losing your audience, ask yourself, do you need help from the teacher or are you giving too much information or information inappropriate for their age?

• Say "Hands up if you are listening".

• Give them time out in between information points.

• Only speak to them if they are quiet and listening.

• Eye contact is really important.

• Make it relevant, numbers and figures can be fun but relate it to something tangible.

• The children will want to run around, so chose an appropriate wide, open space and let them!

Just as a guide, we have 9 - 12 year olds coming.

Don't forget to smile and have fun too!