Forget Facetime, introducing Farmer Time! So what is it and how are children benefiting?

  • Watch a report by ITV News Anglia's Natalie Gray

The farmer is in Peterborough and the school children are in Newhaven, but despite the 161 mile difference, pupils are learning about rural life without leaving their classroom.

Through his smartphone Farmer Tom Martin is providing lessons on pretty much everything outdoors.

"It's just been great fun. We've spoken about so many things from bees, to weather, to climate change to soils to nutrition to life, biology, you name it we've covered so many different topics. The children have learned so much and so have I, it's been great fun.

Farmer Tom gives the children a lesson every fortnight Credit: ITV Anglia

"We talk about maths and history, the sciences but really we just fit in to what's happening in the curriculum and the farm is so diverse there is always something happening on the farm relative to what they're learning.

"The children are our consumers of tomorrow and they'll be buying British produce in years to come. They're also the decision makers of tomorrow they're the politicians of tomorrow and they're also our workforce, and we want to make sure they understand what's happening on British Farms."

The children are given challenges to complete by Farmer Tom Credit:

After each class, Tom gives children specific tasks to complete before their session two weeks later.

That's involved planting seeds to grow sunflowers and looking out for worms in the playground.

  • Watch: Year three pupils give their verdict on their lessons with Farmer Tom

Harbour Primary teacher Olivia Mellor, from East Sussex, spotted an advert for Farmer Time on Facebook four years and since then Tom has been a regular fixture for year groups across the school.

"They love it, the farmer is there, he's talking, he's knowledgable and Tom's great at linking whatever we're learning in the curriculum to farming life" she said.

"They're getting information from somebody who is different to me who knows his stuff in a really engaging and exciting way. They always look forward to the sessions and they come up with some great questions. It's good for career aspirations they're having the ability to talk about his job and other people he works with."