The Treehouse: A fully accessible,
all-weather space built for discovery.
There is something unique about learning on a farm. Children who are restless indoors often find their level learning outdoors where the pace can be more varied and activities more hands-on.
At Dennings Down, we love to invite schools, home education groups and community organisations to spend time here on our working organic farm. Visits are shaped around what you are already teaching, whether that’s science, geography, art, wellbeing or seasonal change. We don’t deliver fixed packages. We listen to your thoughts, ideas and needs and build from there.
From pond dipping and egg collecting to soil studies, seasonal cooking and tree planting, sessions are hands-on and rooted in real farm life. Children can try apple pressing or willow weaving, meet sheep, cattle and chickens, explore the growing patch – and take part in practical activities that connect directly to the curriculum, including the Harmony approach.
We have some wonderful recordings of children enjoying apple pressing and other activities from the year, here on the farm. Have a listen to them here »
Education
The Treehouse
The Treehouse is our oak-framed classroom and meeting space, built using timber from a tree felled on the farm and set in the shade of our largest tree. Fully wheelchair accessible, with kitchenette and hand-washing facilities, a disabled compost toilet and nearby parking, it provides a practical ground-floor teaching space and a comfortable open-plan area upstairs for gatherings. It can be used as part of a school visit or hired independently for half or full days.
The St Mary’s Project
The St Mary’s Project offers smaller group sessions designed for children who may find traditional classroom settings challenging. Through practical farm tasks and time outdoors, we focus on building confidence, responsibility and a sense of achievement. Sessions are carefully planned and led by our Learning & Wellbeing Lead, who works closely with schools to create personalised experiences that support each child’s strengths and needs.
Learning in your classroom
If bringing a class to the farm feels like a big step to begin with, we’re also very happy to come to you. We can visit your school to run hands-on sessions that introduce children to the natural world and the work of the farm.
We offer practical workshops on topics such as soil and the life beneath our feet, eggs and chick incubation, and building bird nesting boxes using our simple kits. These sessions are designed to be interactive and engaging, giving children the chance to handle real materials, ask questions and see how farming connects to the living world around them.
Our classroom sessions link naturally with Key Stage 1 science topics, including animals and their young, living things and their habitats, and seasonal change. They also support wider learning about caring for nature, understanding where food comes from, and developing curiosity about the environment.
For many schools, a classroom session can be a lovely first step, and we’re always happy to talk about how it might connect to a future visit to the farm.
And when children later visit Dennings Down, they already feel a little at home here.
Our Forest School area is nestled within mixed woodland and offers a sheltered, all-weather learning space with a pull-out canopy and fire pit area.
Children can explore natural materials, learn woodland skills, and take part in tree nursery and planting projects. It’s a place for curiosity, teamwork and confidence to grow.
Forest School
Our ponds are one of the liveliest places on the farm. In spring and summer they are full of frogs, pond skaters, dragonflies and all sorts of tiny water creatures. For many children it is the first time they have dipped a net into a pond and seen just how much life is hidden beneath the surface.
The ponds also play an important role in the health of the farm. They provide habitat for wildlife, help hold water in the landscape, and support the natural balance of insects, birds and amphibians. Looking after places like this is a small but important part of farming in a way that works with nature.
Ponds
“Step closer, dip your net, and see the tiny world that lives just beneath the water’s surface — a new adventure in every splash.” 🌱🐸
Built for possibility
Here at Dennings Down, we’ve seen how powerful learning outside the school can be – and most of the visits we offer are fully funded. Each visit is bespoke, designed to support your learning goals in a way that feels meaningful and memorable.
The first step is a no-cost pre-visit. Come and walk the land, talk through ideas and let the farm spark inspiration for your next exciting lesson. Please get in touch with the education team using the form below.
