CEVAS (the Countryside Educational Visits Accreditation Scheme) gives farmers the tools, knowledge and practical guidance needed to host safe and impactful farm visits.

You will learn how food and farming can be incorporated into the school curriculum, and how to communicate effectively with both teachers and pupils. With the help of your tutor you will gather useful documents into a portfolio which is then submitted for accreditation. Our tutors help you every step of the way!

CEVAS accreditation is an Open College Network level 2 award delivered by the Access To Farms (ATF) partnership. It is not only useful for personal development but is also recognised by a number of insurers, schools and local authorities as a mark of good practice.

CEVAS-accredited farmers are also entitled to display the trained personnel logo in recognition of their learning and preparation for safe, high-quality visits and farm experiences.

CEVAS and CEVAS Plus courses are delivered both in-person and online.

There are two available routes: an Educational Route that covers mainly school visits with educational aims and outcomes, and a Therapeutic Route that covers a wide range of visitors with mainly therapeutic aims and outcomes (care farming). Each route consists of three units, the first of which is common to both.

In between the sessions, learners are asked to gather or create supporting evidence, such as a risk assessment. In order to be accredited, each learner will produce a portfolio of materials for assessment.

CEVAS counts towards your BASIS, Dairy Pro and Pig Pro points

For successfully completing your CEVAS, those of you that are registered with BASIS or Dairy Pro will be awarded 4 BASIS points or 24 Dairy Pro points (20 for the course and 4 additional points for the full CEVAS accreditation). For Dairy Pro farmers once you have completed your CEVAS course you will become Dairy Pro Endorsed. For Pig Pro farmers once you have completed your CEVAS course you will receive 10 hours towards your online training record.

CEVAS is suitable for a wide range of people, including farmers, farm staff, care farmers, volunteers, advisers, carers and teachers/teaching assistants.

If you answer Yes to any of the following questions, you could benefit from the training and development opportunities offered by a CEVAS course:

• Are you a farmer who encourages educational or therapeutic visits to your farm?
• Or are you thinking of making your farm available to visitors in the future?
• Have you thought about making your farm available to young people or adults with a variety of needs?
• Do you co-ordinate visits to farms and the countryside for a school or other organisation?