We have an amazing opportunity where five experienced shearers, are giving up their time to teach our Year 12 Agriculture students how to safely shear a sheep. We offered this opportunity last year and this was the highlight of the year for all our students. The students will catch the lambs, be shown how to shear the sheep, and they can use this valuable experience in their future farming endeavours. We will travel out at the beginning of lunchtime and then shear sheep through AT time and during our Level 2 Agriculture lesson. Arriving back to school just before 4pm. This way they will not miss any other classes. This proved beneficial to the grades the girls received in their external examination last year and without physically going on the field trip the girls who are hands on visual learners would struggle to answer any of the questions.
Details:
- Time: 12.15pm (During our Ag lesson)
- Date: Friday 14th February 2025 (fast turn around as only 2 weeks away)
- Return: Arrive back at Southland Girls at 4 pm
- Transport: Go Bus
- Meet: Kumagaya Gates at the front of school
- Clothing and Equipment Required: Mufti and a change of clothing as shearing the sheep can be dirty, and sweaty, soft sports shoes or gumboots are preferable when shearing.
- Cost: $15 each to cover the cost of the bus. The rest will be covered by the Agriculture budget. Please pay and complete permission form below by Monday 10 February.
- Venue: Graeme and Vicky Ward’s Farm, 329 Dacre Morton Mains Road
Mel Young has a current first aid qualification and will be carrying a first aid kit at all times. Jono and the other shearers are hugely experienced with working with school groups of students and is very safety conscious. Each student will get the most out of this incredible opportunity. If for some reason an accident does happen, Mel Young will ring the parent Immediately and notify the school.
This event contains risks, including slipping on the ground when wrestling a lamb or pulling a lamb out to shear, they could get cut while using the handpiece. This event is managed by school staff who will manage risk and hazards according to the school’s safety management plan. This includes careful use of appropriate nonslip footwear, walking carefully in areas that are slippery as the sheep’s wool causes the boards to be extra slippery. While risks can be maintained to acceptable levels they cannot be eliminated. Some risk is retained for its learning and experiential value. If you wish to come in to school to see our safety management systems or have any questions, feel free to contact Mel Young
It is important for safety reasons that students follow instructions given to them by all staff and follow all appropriate school rules. Behaviour by students that is deemed dangerous and puts themselves and/or others at undue risk will result in your child being picked up by a caregiver and not attending further Year 12 Agriculture trips this year.
Please pay and complete permission form below by Monday 10 February.