Adopted piglets hog the limelight

A village school has adopted two piglets in a bid to teach pupils about farming and where food comes from.

The three-month-old piglets, named Poppy Longsocks and Rosie by youngsters at St Peter’s Primary School, East Bridgford, belong to a local farmer and are being kept on land close to the school.

The idea to adopt them came about after pupils on the school’s eco-committee asked teacher Jo Archer if they could have some animals on site.

She said: “Our grounds are very small and quite limited so I looked into adopting some pigs.”

Jo Archer said groups of pupils were often taken to visit the piglets and regular updates about their progress were posted on the school’s website.

She said they also encouraged the youngsters to go with their parents to see the pigs.

Jo Archer said: “We feel it’s important they understand about the farming side of food — from field to fork. We also want to teach them to care for and respect animals.

“The pupils will be able to watch them growing up. They will become a part of school life,” she said.

The school has raised the money to cover the cost of the pigs’ upkeep and they will remain in the village.