Eggstatic Josh

The Ninfield school purchased 15 hens at the beginning of the year and has started commercial egg production.

Boxes of Headstart eggs with Josh's design on the front are to be sold locally at Hope Cottage farm shop and at Chilley Farm near the Pevensey roundabout.

"Josh was delighted," said teacher Karen Nicholls.

"It is a personal achievement. This is about students building self-esteem - he was very excited."

Looking after hens in now part of daily life at the school which has eight full-time pupils aged 12-17 from Bexhill, Hastings and Eastbourne and takes in other youngsters on taster courses.

They are now hatching out chicks as well as looking after other birds and animals, including Rhea birds and peacocks, and starting their own vegetable garden.

Head teacher and founder Nicki Dann said: "We do a farming course for the older pupils going up to BTEC level. It is part of the Enterprise Scheme and gives them an idea of money and business and how it all works, how much things cost and how a business runs.

Karen runs the Land and Environmental course and explained: "This is all about providing them with skills for the workplace...The mainstream system hasn't worked for them, but this seems to be relevant because they see it applies to a future job.

"They still get qualifications but the focus is not just on reading and writing - we do focus on core skills like literacy and numeracy, but a lot of the time they're out and about, tractor driving and doing all the things young people like to do in the outside, like moving hay bales - but then they will spend ten minutes at the end climbing all over them. Probably mainstream schools don't do that - but we have smaller classes and can allow them a bit more freedom."

For further details of Headstart, in Crouch Lane, call 01424 893803.