School Testimonials

~Schools Testimonials~

Thame Partnership of Schools

Thanks to Val we can now move forward with our ‘Chicken project’.

We needed help with a risk assessment for an Extended Schools project. This was a joint venture with Lord Williams’s Secondary School and Mill Lane Primary School in Thame, Oxfordshire.

The older children were building the chicken coops, the younger children incubating the eggs. With the involvement and responsibility of rearing and caring for the chickens and the knock on production of eggs, we hoped to engage children from both school, inspiring their learning and increasing their self esteem.

If successful we would roll this project out to the other eight primaries in our Partnership. We had to get it right, but although we had done a lot of ground work, we really didn’t know where to start with the health and safety issues and the risks involved.

When set with the challenge, Val did the research, contacted Defra, and using her vast knowledge pulled out the relevant areas based on health and welfare and issues relating to schools. We then had a very productive afternoon and finished by reviewing the risks involved.

We were all very impressed by Val’s preparation, the detailed and clear presentation, together with the amount of information that Val had put together. At times it was quite daunting but we ended up even more determined, confident and convinced that the benefits of this project were enormous.

Thank you Val from the Thame Partnership of Schools

Anne Walkinshaw Extended Services, Thame Partnership of Schools

St Marys Catholic Primary School Swindon.

“This whole experience brought the whole school community together the children, staff and parents. The chicks were also the first topic of conversation for all concerned. They enriched the whole school curriculum. It was possible for the chicks to go on tour to different classrooms and were the inspiration for R.E. Literacy, Science, PSHE, Knowledge and Understanding of the World. As far as I’m concerned the whole experience from the eggs in the incubator to the hatching of the chicks to watching them develop and grow in the coming days was awe inspiring, plus it was excellent value for money.”
Clare-Marie Burchall, Headteacher.

Orchid Vale Primary School, Swindon

"This year will be the third year that we have had the chicks in our nursery class. We can hardly wait for their arrival! It is a particularly exciting time for everybody in school; the nursery is always a popular place to be at this time of year with children from all classes popping in to visit us!

In the nursery we talk to the children about what they think might be in the egg; then when the eggs actually begin to crack and hatch the children can hardly contain their excitement! Facial expressions are wonderful!

Usually Val brings in different egg varieties which make it easier to identify each chick after it has hatched. The children choose names and then take great pleasure in dragging in parents to show off ‘their’ chicks. We keep the chicks in our classroom for 3 weeks so the children really do see how we care for them and how they change. We watch the chicks grow bigger and see their wings develop. The children are able to hold the chicks at different stages of their development and look after them.

It truly is a fantastic experience!"

Genevieve Painter

Nursery Teacher at Orchid Vale Primary School.

Lainsmead Primary School, Swindon

As this was our first experience of Chicken School, the whole school was buzzing awaiting the arrival of the incubator. Over the next few days lots of staff members, parents and pupils kept popping into the classroom to see what was happening in the incubator. It was Wednesday afternoon when the first chick hatched, followed quickly by another, which was witnessed by the children. The first chick was brown, which surprised the children as they thought that all chicks were yellow. By the next morning there were more chicks and the last one hatched early on Friday morning. The children then came up with the conclusion that the brown chick was a boy (because he was brown) and all the others were girls. Over the next week we had several handling sessions where, if they wanted to, the children could hold a chick in their hands. It was an amazing experience, thoroughly enjoyed by the whole school, so much so we are repeating the experience next year March 2011.

Lorraine Walker

Teaching Assistant/Eco Schools Coordinator at Lainsmead Primary School

Westlea Primary School Swindon.

"We decided to use Chicken School for our 'chick experience' as they were a local company.
What a good decision that was. Val and her husband arrived at school on the first day and our amazing experience began. The incubator was situated in the reception classroom, but by playtime, word had spread about the arrival of the eggs and half the school descended upon us. From that moment on, the whole school were involved in the hatching process. A webcam allowed all classes to view the eggs and as soon as the first crack appeared the school watched the chicks in amazement. The children gained so much from the three weeks in which the chicks stayed with us. It was the talking point at playtime, lunchtime and home time. Parents and children from across the school came to watch the chicks. Was it an educational, enjoyable experience? You bet. Will we be having them next year? You bet. The only problem now is deciding which classroom they will go into!"
Anita Ellis, Reception Unit Westlea Primary School.

St Dunstans Primary School, Calne.

“It is quite unusual to find an activity which can unite children from Nursery to Year 6, but ‘Chicken School’ have found that magical combination. Via the web the hatching eggs was accessed by every class. As soon as the first cracks began to appear, the whole school was fixated, as all the children willed the little chick from its egg. A huge cheer echoed from Nursery to Year 6, as one last push saw the little creature hatch into the incubator. Parents queued alongside their children to see the new arrivals in the school. Staff and children have all said that without doubt this was the best activity in book week and that it has provided memories that they will never forget. With the support and expertise of ‘Chicken School’ a click or a phone call way then the whole process is hassle free too! I cannot recommend this more highly!!”

Philip Northwood, Special Needs Teacher/Book Week coordinator.

Nythe Primary School Swindon.

"Val brought us 10 eggs to hatch in June. We decided that Year 6 should look after them in their classroom. Val was extremely helpful in explaining what would happen step by step. She was always there at the end of the phone for advice and would come into school often, to support us. Some pupils in Year 6 did extra Science lessons which revolved around the eggs/chicks in their lunchtimes. This enabled us to get the most out of our visitors. Great excitement buzzed around the school when the eggs hatched. A webcam was set up to record the births. All of our pupils had several opportunities to view the chicks and Val came in to work with pupils to enable them to learn even more about our 8 chicks, close up. Parents were also enthused about our chirping visitors and we soon had plenty of offers of hospitality for our chickens at the weekend. Excitement filled our school whilst we had the chicks to stay; chatter of the chicks’ presence, filled the playground and the staffroom! We were able to support the curriculum in Science, PHSE, Literacy and our Eco school ethos."

Mrs Colleen Smith, Parent Coordinator

East Wichel Community Primary School, Swindon

The children were so excited about eggs coming to school. Even before the eggs began to hatch we had so much value from them as the children pretended to be doing talks to each other about the eggs, set up a cinema style area to watch them and drew pictures of what might emerge from the eggs. The eggs were in our reception classroom and soon began to influence all aspects of the EYFS curriculum. One of the most amazing things was watching our most reluctant writers beging to create labels, captions, lists and write short stories all linked to the eggs and the chicks. When our two weeks were over and every chick had been named it was great to be able to tell the children that the chicks were going back to the farm where they had come from. Val was fantastic especially the initial chat she did with the children. She answered all their questions really well and the children didn't want her to leave. As soon as they had gone we booked up for next year and I know that all the children in our school will be really excited the day the eggs arrive.

Clare Hodges, Deputy Headteacher

Chicken School ®

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