The Yorkshire Agricultural Society is urging the Government to relax rules around term time trips after highlighting the educational benefits of the Great Yorkshire Show.
The Society is inviting the Secretary of State for Education Justine Greening, Shadow Education Minister Angela Rayner and Yorkshire MPs to the show which is now England’s premiere agricultural event. Show organisers want to highlight the educational offering of the show and are appealing for greater flexibility for schools to allow parents to bring their children.
The move comes after last week’s High Court ruling which saw a judge state that unless a child is sick, absent due to religious observance reasons, or unable to attend because their school transport did not arrive, they must attend school – unless the head teacher has stated otherwise.
Charles Mills, Show Director, said: “Education is at the heart of the Society’s ethos and educating the younger generations about the importance of farming is vital. We fear that with the current High Court ruling, less and less children of school age will visit the show unless it’s part of an organised school trip. We are writing to Government Ministers and Yorkshire MPs to ask them to support a proposal from the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to waive this restriction so that parents can bring their children to the Great Yorkshire Show. We want them to come and see for themselves how valuable the show is in showcasing the very best of agricultural life as well as supporting the farming industry.”
The Yorkshire Agricultural Society organises a raft of educational programmes for school children throughout the year with the flagship event being the three day Great Yorkshire Show which is always on a Tuesday – Thursday in the second week of July, during term time.
This will be the 159th show, bringing together the very best of British food, farming and countryside life over three days and attracting over 130,000 visitors.
Charles added: “A discount is on offer for school trips and while some Yorkshire schools organise official trips, it’s a grey area for other schools who don’t. For instance some headteachers allow parents to bring their children to the show but others won’t sanction it so this means children are missing out. People are uncertain about what they can and can’t do and we are calling for flexibility and clear guidance so that we can continue to welcome and educate the younger generations and parents can do so without fear of repercussions.”
The show brings the town and country together so farmers can understand more about their customers and the public gets a better insight into what’s involved in putting food on the table and the important role British farmers play in doing that.
There’s everything from falconry to dry stone walling to some of the world’s best sheep shearers. There’s the chance for visitors to see the latest in agricultural kit and technology and the finest livestock.
The Great Yorkshire Show has 8,500 animals, important national competitions like Cock O’the North and this year the Charolais Cattle Society will hold its Summer National Show.
There is also a Discovery Zone created specifically for youngsters who can learn about healthy living, the environment and the countryside, in a practical and interactive way.
