Sir, – I am writing in response to the article concerning the closure of The Wensleydale School Farm (D&S, October 3). As a parent, this article was the first I had heard of it and my reaction was one of disbelief and disappointment. We feel somewhat misled, since at last year’s open evening the children who showed us round were most enthusiastic about the farm and the farm club; we were still undecided at that point about which school to apply to, and it was the farm which eventually decided us.

I completely agree with the views expressed by Emma Pharoah and disagree with the head’s suggestion that the farm does not ‘promote student achievement’. Interestingly, the farm was reinstated in 2009, after the school had spectacularly failed Ofsted and was in special measures. The farm was to encourage less able or disaffected students and provide extra-curricular interest for all students. I understand that the school would have received extra funding during this period, but the fact that the head teacher brought in to turn the school around saw fit to spend money on the farm, surely speaks for itself.

Many schools in both the independent and state sector sell themselves on their unusual extra-curricular activities; what is a farm if not this? Parents I have spoken to would have been happy to volunteer their services to help keep the farm going, but we were not consulted. I would argue that the farm was, and still could be, a valuable asset to Wensleydale School. Many young people want to find out about farming, if not take a qualification in it and as we are alarmingly short of young people going into farming, having a school farm has to be seen as a positive. I would urge the head, Graham Parker, to reconsider his decision, even if it means keeping a scaled-down farm unit at the school.

JOANNA KETTLEWELL

Constable Burton.