P-04-593 Advise schools on visits to Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm
P-04-593 Advise schools on visits to Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm
We
request the Minister for Education and Skills in the Welsh Government reviews
the suitability of Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm for visits from Welsh schools. We
consider the zoo unsuitable because:1. It undermines the understanding of
science and contradicts the national curriculum. 2. The zoo was expelled from
the zoo industry body, BIAZA, in 2009.
Going
on school trips is a vital part of our children’s learning, helping them to get
hands on experience of the world around them. Teachers and parents value this,
and put in a lot of time and effort to making sure that the trips they run
support children’s learning and are safe. In order to do this, they rely on
guidance and information. We ask that you investigate Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm
immediately and make sure that all schools are made aware of the findings of
the investigation.
Additional information:
1
The Department for Education 2011 - Free Schools FAQs - Curriculum:
“We
would expect to see evolution and its foundation topics fully included in any
science curriculum. We do not expect creationism, intelligent design and
similar ideas to be taught as valid scientific theories in any state funded
school” http://www.education.gov.uk/a0075656/free-schools-faqs-curriculum#faq5;
https://humanism.org.uk/2014/02/04/alice-roberts-bha-complain-michael-gove-noahs-ark-zoo-farms-quality-badge-breaching-creationism
policy/;http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/08/wont-go-back-to-creationist-zoo-bristol
2
BIAZA (2009):
‘Council
believes that the behaviour of NAZF has brought the association into disrepute’
™http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/8391779.stm
Petitioner Jane Henderson
First considered by the
Committee:
23 Medi 2014
Number of Signatures: 220
Business type: Petition
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
Status: For consideration
First published: 17/09/2014