Education & Young People Environment & Climate 2024
The Country Trust

Impact Report 2023/24

The Country Trust is the UK's leading national educational charity connecting disadvantaged children with the land that sustains us. In 2023/24, they reached over 32,000 children across core programmes and took more than 20,000 to working farms — with a deliberate focus on those facing the highest disadvantage, including children on free school meals, with SEND, and from areas of urban deprivation.

View Report
Report snapshot
32,000+ children reached across core programmes; 20,315 children supported to access real working farms Key Metric 1
41.8% of children in partner schools meet EVER6 Free School Meals criteria (national average 26.3%) — demonstrating focus on highest-disadvantage communities Key Metric 2
95% of children felt farms were important after their visit (up 11% on prior year); 100% of teachers said programmes gave pupils new opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have accessed Key Metric 3
14 Views

📋About

Farm discovery day visits; multi-day residential experiences (countryside, forest, beach); Food Discovery workshops; in-school food and farming education; teacher CPD Custom geography from upload: England

📊Key Metrics

32,000+ children reached across core programmes; 20,315 children supported to access real working farms Key Metric 1
41.8% of children in partner schools meet EVER6 Free School Meals criteria (national average 26.3%) — demonstrating focus on highest-disadvantage communities Key Metric 2
95% of children felt farms were important after their visit (up 11% on prior year); 100% of teachers said programmes gave pupils new opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have accessed Key Metric 3

✅Key Outcomes

  • Programmes target children least likely to access green space — particularly those in urban deprivation, with SEND, or facing other barriers to outdoor experience
  • Addresses poverty of experience through hands-on countryside learning — building language, literacy, confidence and self-esteem in children from limited or chaotic home environments
  • At least 33% of residential participants are visiting farms, forests and beach locations for the first time (rising to 40% on Suffolk residentials); reluctant learners consistently re-engaged through farm visits

📍Geography

UK-Wide

Related reports

All Education & Young People reports →
2024
Big Change

Impact Story 2020–2024

63 projects backed with £5 million in funding, unlocking £60 million+ in follow-on investment — £12 for every £1 given; 8 million+ children and young people engaged through funded projects
Key Metric 1
17 million+ people reached globally through expert articles co-created with insight network across 26 countries; 25,000+ people took part in 2,000+ Big Education Conversations across England since 2021
Key Metric 2
£1 million Big Education Challenge prize fund launched in 2022, backing 15 finalists and 6 award winners; 40 cross-sector experts publishing via global insight network; 35 countries holding Big Education Conversations
Key Metric 3
Early-stage backing of Frontline (2013) — now England's largest social work charity, training 2,400 social workers reaching 150,000+ families; Voice 21 (2014) — now working with 203,000 students in 852 schools; oracy embedded in cross-party education priorities
Education & Young People Young People
View
2024
Chefs in Schools

Annual Report 2023/24

100,000+ children now reached through programmes — nearly doubling in one year the reach achieved in the previous five years combined; 16 new schools supported through School Transformation programme (6,303 pupils)
Key Metric 1
76 chefs from 126 schools graduated from School Chef Educator programme reaching 36,414 children daily; total income grew 46% to £1,654,185; most successful fundraising year to date raising £1,548,528
Key Metric 2
88%+ of school leaders reported pupils consuming more fruit and vegetables; 82%+ reported improvement in pupil behaviour; 65%+ reported improvement in pupil concentration; 100% of chefs satisfied or very satisfied with their job
Key Metric 3
Won BBC Food and Farming Derek Cooper Outstanding Achievement Award 2023; Survation polling found a third of parents can no longer afford school meals; gave evidence to House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee and Youth Select Committee
Education & Young People Children
View
2024
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Impact Report 2024

40,880 young people's responses analysed; estimated social value of £4,400 per person per year from wellbeing improvements
Key Metric 1
Significant improvements in 6 out of 7 skills measures including teamwork, resilience, confidence, emotional management, problem-solving and initiative
Key Metric 2
78% of participants felt they belonged in their neighbourhood at completion vs 53% nationally; physical activity increased from 4.6 to 4.9 active days per week
Key Metric 3
DofE participation mitigates decline in life satisfaction seen nationally as young people age; life satisfaction improvements greater for girls, minority ethnic participants and those reporting poor health at start
Education & Young People Wellbeing
View