Animal Care students from KS4/5 and Chimes enjoyed an exciting end-of-year trip to Charnwood Alpaca Forest yesterday.

The day began with a health and safety briefing, followed by the much-anticipated alpaca walk -15 alpacas, dozens of giggles, and a few alpacas with a mind of their own! The students showed maturity and responsibility throughout, carefully remembering the rules and walking beautifully with their four-legged companions (even if the alpacas didn’t always return the favour!).

Next came feeding time and a spontaneous adventure – herding an escaped sheep, which quickly became a highlight of the day.

A delicious lunch was kindly provided, giving everyone time to relax and recharge before heading out to meet the mums and babies in the field. Guided by Will, the students asked thoughtful questions and learned more about the animals’ care and behaviour. The biggest surprise? One baby alpaca was just 35 hours old.

This fantastic trip was not just a reward, but a hands-on learning experience that brought the curriculum to life. A huge thank you to Charnwood Alpaca Forest for such a memorable day!