Countryside Photography Competition

24th September 2012Oathall

The Oathall Community College Photography Competition 2012 is open to students from all years but GCSE Photography students are particularly encouraged to enter to support their portfolio of work.

Twelve photographs will be chosen by a panel of judges and used to make up the new Oathall Calendar 2013, to be sold through the Farm Shop. Each of the winning entries will receive a gift voucher of their choice worth £20.00. The overall winning photograph judged by the panel will receive vouchers worth £50.00.

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Farm Shop Makes the News (Again)!

1st August 2012Oathall
Rosanna and Katie

Rosanna and Katie

Our latest bid to take over the airwaves sees us featured in a news item on Meridian News.

Presenter Rachel Hepworth joined us a couple of weeks ago armed with just a camera and loads of enthusiasm to tell the story of Oathall Farm.

OCC students Rosanna Curtis and Katie Russell were fabulous in front of the camera and gave a great overview of how the farm and the school work together for the benefit of all the students and staff too.

Teacher Emma Rimmer had a cameo appearance when she came in to buy her weekly shop but as always the stars of the show were the piglets!

See Oathall Farm on Meridian TV here

Soggy but Successful Show for Oathall Farm

15th June 2012Oathall
The show is a highlight in our calendar

This annual show is a real highlight in our calendar

It was a wet and windy South of England Show in Ardingly this year but it didn’t dampen the spirits of the 35 Oathall students who helped out each day.

Supported by staff and six ex-students the group from Oathall were involved in showing and stewarding and also led the famous cattle parade each day.

We brought home a number of rosettes, winning the best pair of pigs out of ten pairs on display and winning the best pair of calves too. Our students showed champion commercial pigs on behalf of Andrew Strong of Field Place Farm and the champion and reserve champion Lleyn Sheep on behalf of Peter Sutton of Rout Farm.

The show was rounded off nicely with not only a sunny day but with Oathall Farm students receiving the Richard Dean Trophy for tidiest cattle lines and best turned out cattle.

Well done everyone!

Alan Titchmarsh opens New Farm Shop

26th April 2012Oathall
Alan Titchmarsh MBE opening our farm shop in April 2012

Alan Titchmarsh MBE opening our farm shop

Students at Oathall were privileged to give TV personality and renowned horticulturist Alan Titchmarsh a guided tour of the farm and growing areas on Friday.

Arriving at Oathall to officially open the farm shop, Alan Titchmarsh said that his visit to Oathall was ‘nothing more than a dream come true’ and that Oathall was ‘a beacon of how schools should be’. (more…)

Sussex County YFC Competition

7th March 2012Oathall

YFC logoOathall Young Farmers put out their youngest ever team for the annual Sussex County YFC Competitions Day held at Plumpton College on Sunday 4 March 2012.

The youngsters, many of whom had never competed before and who were aged 11-16, came away with a host of prize cards and 10 individual cups or trophies.

Competitions included stock judging, animal husbandry, countryside knowledge, tractor driving, pottery, cycle safety, flower arranging and egg painting. Other more light hearted classes involved eating doughnuts or chocolate washed down with lemonade all against the clock.

The students are grateful for the support they receive from local farmers and would like to thank Anthony Hole and sons from Burgess Hill who provided expert cycle safety training.

Club leader and teacher Howard Wood commented: “I never fail to be amazed by the talents, enthusiasm and hard work displayed by the young people of today, they earn all their successes.”

Success at the South of England Show

12th June 2011Oathall
Frazer with his trophies at the SoE Show

Frazer with his trophies at the SoE Show

Oathall’s livestock came away with a clutch of ribbons and prizes at this year’s show on the 9, 10 and 11 June 2011.

We scooped first prize in the cattle and pig sections, including the overall livestock exhibitors award in the pig section.

Highlights were our Large White boar Oathall Viking 6th winning the traditional breeds championship, and there were also firsts for sows Emma (Mrs. Rimmer) and Jill (Head teacher Mrs. Wilson). Our pair of Large White porkers were reserve champions in the commercial pig category.

OCC student Frazer Wilson showed the champion dairy calf in the calf rearing classes, winning the Heasman trophy and then the West Sussex Times Challenge cup for the best overall exhibit (dairy and beef calves) Joining forces with Rosanna Curtis the two of them showed the champion pair of calves.

Oathall Rustic Milkmaid 2 won her Ayrshire breed class, she is the mother of our champion calf.  Well done to all OCC students who took part, an excellent result!

Heathfield Show 2011

3rd June 2011Oathall
Ben with his award after the show

Ben with his award after the show

On 28 May we took seven cattle to the annual Heathfield Show and came away with a fantastic four first prize cards!

Our star performers were Oathall Rustic Milkmaid 2 in the dry cow class, her daughter Oathall Rustic Milkmaid 5 in the heifer calf class, and Ava Frohmader in the handlers class. Oathall Rustic Milkmaid 5 won the East Sussex Ayrshire Cattle Club Perpetual Tankard.

OCC student Ben Keegan was the winner of one of the most prestigious awards to be handed out at this years show. Fifteen year old Ben who recently completed a land-based course at Oathall, scooped The Henry Noakes Young Achiever Trophy, named after one of Heathfield Agricultural Society’s founding members. Ben was presented with his trophy by Angela Deakin, the daughter of Henry Noakes.

Ben has been a star student at Oathall but it was his work with our pig herd and his support for younger students on the farm which prompted Mr Wood to write a glowing testimonial on his behalf.

Ben has reared his own pigs and turned them into sausages some of which were enjoyed at the stockman’s BBQ at the south of England show recently!