On Friday 14th May 2021, I spent time with Pam Hillier-Brook and David Bruce as they judged the entries for the Agricultural Challenge for Special Education. This was postponed from 2020 when lockdown and schools being closed meant it could not happen and this year the schools were not able to meet in person but send their entries to be judged remotely.
The challenge consisted of 8 categories and schools could enter up to five. Categories were agreed in advance each year by the schools and could form quite a large part of their curriculum.
A winner is chosen for each category and then an overall winner chosen with second and third places also awarded.
Each student receives a certificate issued for each category. There are also certificates and trophies for the winners with each team being awarded £100 for their efforts as part of the prize money fund.
The winning submissions for each category, and the overall winners were as follows:
OVERALL WINNER: Addington/Bulmershe Schools team
2ND PLACE: Reading College, Sally’s team and The Castle School
3RD PLACE: Mary Hare Primary
CATEGORY WINNERS
SOMETHING ON THE THEME OF “WILDLIFE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE” – Tadley Court School
A “DIORAMA” IN A SHOE BOX OF AN IMAGINARY GARDEN – Addington/Bulmershe Schools
SOMETHING MADE FROM THE WOOD FROM A USED WOODEN PALLET – Addington/Bulmershe Schools
A VISUAL DIARY OVER TIME – SEED TO SEED – The Castle School
A CAKE WHICH CONTAINS A VEGETABLE – Mary Hare Primary/Reading College Elle’s team
A PLANTED HANGING BASKET – Addington/Bulmershe Schools
A DIFFERENT WAY TO DISPLAY HOUSE PLANTS – Reading College Sally’s team/The Avenue School
A MULTIMEDIA ARTWORK OF A WILD ANIMAL FOUND IN A GARDEN – Reading College Sally’s team/The Castle School
I cannot stress enough how impressed I am with the schools for managing to enter this year with all the lockdowns and disruption they have had to deal with and as ever they have produced some wonderful work. – Jan Murray
