School Ties

We do say every day’s a school day at Rowan Farm. 

But today Oli was the teacher. For a change. 

Design and Technology students from the local school spent the morning with us at Rowan Farm. 

Our relationship with Lord Wandsworth College is very important to us. 

We bought Rowan Farm from the school five years ago and Oli is a former student. 

LWC is a Foundation School.

That means that around 1 in every 10 students has their fees paid for by the school’s charity.

They will have lost the support of one or both parents.

Their mum or dad may have died, have trouble with addiction or they may be in prison.

The school gives these kids the opportunity to have an exceptional education despite difficult circumstances. 

The staff at Lord Wandsworth are some of the most driven and passionate folk we have had the pleasure of working with. 

This morning’s class was part of a wider involvement that we are fortunate enough to have with such an amazing school. 

It was Oli’s dream lesson – how to chop up a tree into planks. 

The Sixth Formers were treated to a live demonstration of our Logosol chainsaw saw mill. 

It’s how we are turning the local trees we are felling into useable timber for the build and for fuel once we live here. 

The students also learned about the properties of timber – something that completely rocks Oli’s world. 

We hope that LWC pupils will also be involved with our vegetable growing and livestock rearing, as well as the eco building techniques we’re employing and our attempts to improve the biodiversity of the site. 

Next up though… they’re coming back on site to build our bin house. 

I’m not quite sure how this isn’t just fantastically convenient for us. 

But the school assure me it doesn’t constitute as child labour. Honest.