Learning...
Our primary school programmes follow the rhythms of the seasons and focus on the natural world and the work cycle of the farm and gardens. In spring children may be lucky enough to witness the birth of a lamb while the onset of winter means preparing bedding and feed for the months ahead. < read the full story
Students spend a full day in the fresh air at Airfield participating in our practical Horticulture and Farm Studies. This course is hands-on and immerses students in physical work around the estate. Students are also introduced to the history of the Overend family and their legacy...< read the full story
Airfield runs a range of courses for adults based on the principles of sustainable living. From raising chickens to making your own cosmetics, you too can learn to live ‘the good life’. All of these courses are given by professionals and are delivered in a fun and creative atmosphere. < read the full story
Airfield’s education programme
plants a seed that we hope will grow into a life- long appreciation and curiosity about farming, gardening and the natural world.
Education forms a core part of our mission at Airfield and our not-for –profit education programme works with children and young people from pre-school through to Leaving Certificate, with an emphasis on learning through exploration and experimentation. Airfield is an approved Discover Primary Science centre, with programmes relating closely to SESE curricula.
Airfield aims to be a site of life-long learning and fun through its year-round schedule of events for people of all ages and has also developed programmes for second level ecology and horticulture studies. Students are encouraged to use their own curiosity and powers of investigation to discover the beauty and rhythms of nature and its relevance to their lives. Likewise, immersion in the everyday workings of the farm gives an insight into how their food is produced and the importance of agriculture to their own lives and how the valuable contribution it makes to our economy.
Our thirty-five acre estate forms the perfect backdrop for a range of educational encounters that excite, inspire and inform. Exploring the natural and man-made environments of Airfield provides the opportunity to discover links between nature, science and art. Our aim is to ignite and nurture a love of nature in children, building on their own innate sense of wonderment and curiosity around farming and the natural world. For many children, Airfield is often their first experience of farming and we want every child to leave knowing where their food comes from and how their choices can make a difference to the environment.
The new developments at Airfield are very exciting for education. The new farm centre and horticulture area will enable us to foreground the importance of agriculture and food growing to our everyday lives and to our economy. Students will be able to engage closely with the processes of farming and food production and link the importance of traceability animal welfare to their own health and wellbeing.
As new water habitat created in 2008 continues to develop and flourish it presents numerous possibilities for a range of exciting ecology programmes.
The plans to restore the house to show the Overend archive offers many exciting possibilities to extend our programmes to include areas of local and social history.
Lest you think that all sounds very serious, on any given day the shrieks and laughter can be heard through the estate as the children come across creepy crawlies under a stone or are nudged by one of our calves in the red barn-and that includes senior cycle students and teachers too! In fact just being here close to nature and the farm seems to make people smile even on the rainiest of days and teachers tell us that the visits are talked about and remembered long after they are over.
Bernadette Larkin, Head of Education & Programmes