Sir – We want to thank The Oxford Times for highlighting the plight of the Warriner Farm which is under threat of closure (Report, November 15).

The local education authority, Oxfordshire County Council, has withdrawn completely its £40,000 funding of the farm, attached to the Warriner School in Bloxham. This amounts to one third of its total annual budget and is a disaster on many fronts. The award-winning working farm provides an unique educational experience to a large group of children of all ages from all over the county, ranging from pre-school to GCSE students integrating it into their qualifications. Indeed, it is the only school farm in Oxfordshire and receives around 4,000 children from all abilities from outside the school on an annual basis.

It educates them both in its purpose built classroom facility and gives them practical hands-on experience. It also provides vocational training to those not in mainstream education and grants access to all (well over 1,000) current Warriner school pupils.

In particular it allows those with special educational needs, of whom our child is one, to learn in different ways from classroom-based learning.

It is very successful in this approach. With the looming threat of budget cuts, the farm has endeavoured to become more commercial and sells its own meat through its shop staffed by volunteers. However to have 30 per cent of its annual budget withdrawn in one go is catastrophic.

If readers of The Oxford Times have any ideas on how to recoup this loss, please contact the farm manager, Chris Holloway, directly on farm@warriner.oxon.sch.uk

Nick Bowers, Oxford