Case Study
Russell Butcher, Foxwood School
Animal Care course delivered by Access Training at Stonebridge City Farm
February 2011
Russell Butcher was
put forward for an Animal Care course by his Connexions
Advisor, Jo Key. She knew that he loved animals and hoped
that it would be a way of encouraging him to get back on
track. He had been finding things very difficult, had not
been to school, Chilwell Comprehensive, for 2 years and was
even finding it difficult to leave his home.
With the
encouragement of his Home Tutor, he started a course at
Stonebridge City Farm run by Access Training, joining pupils
from Foxwood and Carlton Digby Special Schools. It seemed
unlikely at first that Russell would stay the course as he
was so nervous, finding it difficult to make eye contact and
communicate with anyone.
After several weeks
of patient reassurance from Access tutor, Sally Small,
Russell started to gain confidence, finding that working
with the animals was therapeutic for him. Soon he was making
friends with the other learners and it was not long before
it was suggested that he transferred on to the role of
Foxwood School.
Here he thrived,
attending regularly and never missing his Friday session at
Stonebridge. Russell is an able student and was keen and
willing to help the rest of the group, some of whom found
the work mentally and physically challenging. This mentoring
did wonders for Russell’s confidence and was motivational
for the entire group, all of whom achieved a qualification
at the end of the course: 7 learners (including Russell)
achieved an NVQ Level 1 in Work Based Animal Care which,
according to Lindsey Norton of Foxwood School, represented
achievement at a higher level than in their other subjects.
Russell’s parents
were thrilled with the changes they witnessed in him during
the course and could not have been more proud when he was
nominated for the Nottinghamshire Training Network pre-16
Learner of the Year Award, and absolutely thrilled when he
won! The whole family were there to see him win the award,
together with Lindsey Norton from his school and the Access
Training team.
Then a week later he
was starring again, this time in the Annual 14-19 Conference
at the East Midlands Conference Centre. Access Training had
been asked to give a workshop on the importance of
collaboration to Foundation Learning and used Foxwood
learners (and rabbits courtesy of Stonebridge) to
demonstrate how to give a health check on rabbits. Russell
very kindly agreed to produce the powerpoint presentation
for the occasion and very professional it was too.
Russell is currently
still at Foxwood School but continuing with an Animal Care
course with Access Training and working towards a Level 2
Animal Care qualification.
Pictured below
from L-R Lindsey Norton, Deputy Head of Foxwood, Russell and
Jackie Loftus, Animal Care Team Leader
Pictured above,
Russell centre back row, with fellow students at Stonebridge
