'If I'm frustrated by school, farm calms me down'

Pupils and staff at a special educational needs school said having a small farm full of animals on its site helped them feel cheerful, happy, calm and safe.

Sheep, pigs, goats, chickens and a pony share the grounds of Grange Academy, in Kempston, Bedfordshire, with its 150 students, and it is hosting a fundraising open day on Saturday.

Kayden, 13, said: "If I feel angry or frustrated, I can just come here, really be in the moment and calm down."

Headteacher Rachel Timms said the farm, which started more than two years ago with just a few chickens, was "vital" and helped pupils with general life and communication skills, and future career prospects.

Sienna, 14, said it was a "perfect school for people who need help and people with disabilities".

She helped clean the animals and was looking to gain an animal care qualification, which is offered at the school.

"I feel safe, it feels good to be around them, they're so calm, it's like learning something new every day," she told the BBC.

"Whenever I'm stressed, they just come over and help me, especially when I'm sad."

Twelve-year-old Kai said: "If you're angry, you can come here and feel happy again."

He wanted to put the skills he had learnt to good use and work on a farm.

He loved the goats, as well as Nutmeg the pony.

"She's fluffy and soft, she's kind and not scared around people," he added.

Bradly 15, said: "We can see the animals, stroke them, give them baths and change their bedding.

"It's quite exciting, sometimes you don't know what to expect when you're with the pigs and the other animal."

Kayden said: "I like it when you can chill with them, you can just stroke them and it makes you feel happy.

"Animals really help a lot of people in a lot of different ways, they're just so peaceful and kind."

He said being with the animals will show any future employer he is "conscientious and a hard-working person".

"I like having a farm at our school - if I feel angry or frustrated, I can just come here and be in the moment and calm down," he added.

Ms Timms said the farm was created after pupils talked about wanting animals and staff thought it would teach the children good skills and "make them feel calm".

"It opens doors to all sorts of careers, they can learn how to look after a chicken, how to groom a dog," she added.

"The skills are vital for their careers, but also for general life skills. The communication skills, the life skills, the empathy, being able to make decisions - If you've got an animal that needs help, you've got to be able to make a quick decision and use lots of knowledge."

Ms Timms said the animal facts the pupils knew "astounds me", and added: "They can tell you all about chicken breeds, how to spot if they're unwell and how to spot if a sheep has got flystrike.

She hoped the open day, on from 10:00 BST to 14:00, would be a chance for pupils to show off their skills but also fundraise for new equipment and a shed for the sheep.

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