History of Agricultural Education in Wiltshire - Lackham Countryside ...

A block release course for apprentices leading to the City and Guilds 260 Agricultural
Mechanic's Certificate examination. The course consists of three blocks each of 10
weeks, spread over a period of 18 months Students living near the College will attend
daily and those living some distance away may be residential.
Course F Ordinary National Diploma in Farm Mechanisation, introduced in 1970.
A three year sandwich course of study leading to the award of the Ordinary
National Diploma in Farm Mechanisation which is designed for young men who wish to
become technicians and to obtain posts as unit managers on large farms, with
tractor dealers and agricultural engineers and in developing territories overseas.
The study of crop husbandry, animal husbandry and economic factors of farm
machinery management form an integral part of the course, which will have a high
practical content throughout.
Prospective students must be at least 16½ years of age and must possess the General
Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (or Certificate of Secondary Education
Grade 1) in four subjects: Mathematics, a Science subject, English and one other.
They must normally spend one year gaining practical experience on a mechanised
farm prior to the first year of College study.
The first and third year of the course will be spent at Lackham. The student will
return to industry during the second year to selected employers to gain further
experience in Farm Mechanisation. [i]
Part-Time Courses and Extra Mural Work in the County
1950-1970
Part-time courses of instruction in Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Rural Home
Economics, Horticulture and Allied Subjects are organised at various centres
throughout the County in conjunction with the Principals of the various Colleges of
Further Education and the Local Further Education Organisers. Residential courses
for school children, Herdsmen, Shepherds etc., are held at Lackham during
vacations.
Day Release Classes in Agriculture and Horticulture are held on one day per week
during the winter months at various centres. Young people attending these classes
can sit City and Guilds examinations at the end of each course.
Evening classes in Farm Management are held at two centres in the County each
year, together with a comprehensive list of evening classes in Agriculture ,
Horticulture and Rural Home Economics.
Members of Young Farmers' Clubs and new entrants to the industry are
prepared for proficiency tests in the various Farm and Farmhouse crafts.