31 Meet the Teacher - An Interview with ‘Farmer Paul’ on Outdoor Learning

Meet the Teacher

An Interview with ‘Farmer Paul’ on Outdoor Learning

Paul Crosdil, aff ectionately known as 'Farmer Paul', teaches pupils his outdoor learning programme in West Sussex. Given Paul's background in farming, horticulture, and even as an animal trainer on the set of blockbuster movies (such as Harry Potter) and TV shows, Farmer Paul brings a sense of magic to outdoor learning that delights pupils and brings them closer to the natural world. We sat down with Farmer Paul to learn more about his role based at Conifers Independant Day School and the school’s ambitions for its outdoor learning programme, which includes a Forest School strand of the curriculum.

What is the best part of your role at Conifers school?

Helping our students to connect with their natural environment is a really cherished part of my role at Conifers. I work with all our year groups as part of our outdoor learning programme, showing them how to develop their abilities and knowledge about how to grow plants with the seasons, nature and the environment we live in. Th ey love learning about insects, bees and birds, and I use every opportunity I can to teach them all about where their food comes from, and the labour needed to produce it. I am also passionate about protecting the environment, so I really enjoy teaching our more senior pupils about carbon footprints and what we can do to reduce ours.

Can you tell us about the outdoor learning programme and Forest School at Conifers?

We have an extremely popular outdoor learning programme at Conifers, which is designed to connect our adventurous students with their natural environment. Come rain or shine, there are weekly lessons for all pupils in our natural outdoor areas, which includes a shallow stream, woodland walk, den buildings and many magical places to explore. Our rural grounds which include the Paddock, and Forest School areas, provides the perfect arena for adventurous pupils to work together to problem-solve and overcome challenges. We also have allotments at Conifers, which pupils work together on as part of our outdoor lessons. Th e students prepare the planting beds, learn about seasonal crops, and help to grow and harvest produce. In addition to our outdoor learning programme, I am involved with the Forest School at Conifers, which teaches pupils valuable outdoor skills, such as bushcraft, how to start campfi res, how to cook food outdoors, whittling, and other exciting outdoor crafts. Th e outcome we witness is wonderfully motivated, happy children who are engaged and full of positivity when they return to the classroom.

Are there any new developments on the horizon for outdoor learning at Conifers?

We have plans to develop our outdoor learning off ering at Conifers with a wonderful new meadow extension on the nearby Cowdray Estate. Th e new development will include beautiful garden areas and a pond which will serve as a natural habitat for local wildlife. Our students have been involved in the project from the beginning, having already helped to prepare key garden areas and worked to catalogue the abundant wildlife in the meadow. So far this includes rabbits, fi eld mice, frogs, toads, birds of prey, bees, wasps, butterfl ies, moths, bats, and many great insects! Th is is an ongoing project, and our pupils will continue to help develop the meadow as part of their learning for many years to come. I am a keen advocate for protecting our environment and teaching the younger generations about the importance of doing so, as well as the impact of their carbon footprint on our precious planet.

How has your farming background impacted your teaching?

I arrived at Conifers back in 2018 with a mission to help build on the school’s ambitious outdoor learning programme and with a passion to support children in their study of the natural world around them. I am from a farming family, with my early experiences having inspired my love for the great outdoors. I started out mostly as a cattle and dairy farmer before acquiring my own farm, and later even worked with a department of the Swiss government as an ambassador for Swiss cows. Th ese experiences have provided me with a great deal of knowledge and skills about animals and the natural world, and has helped fuel my passion to impart what I know to the next generation.

What can you tell us about training animals on blockbuster movie sets?

Given my background in working with animals, I took on the incredibly exciting but challenging role of training animals on the sets of popular movies, TV shows and music videos. Filming is a highly regulated industry, and for over 20 years I met many movie stars and trained several animals on sets including poultry, pigs, goats, sheep, cows, bulls, deer, and foxes. Films I have trained animals for include the likes of Harry Potter, Shakespeare in Love, Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. I have provided similar services during pop music video shoots for acts such as All Saints and Everything But Th e Girl, as well for TV adverts for companies such as Anchor butter (dancing Jersey cows) and Mercedes.

Paul Crosdil teaches pupils of all year groups as part of the outdoor learning programme at Conifers in West Sussex, a leading independent day school for 2- to 13-year-olds nestled in the heart of the South Downs National Park.