Petty Pool Students Thriving on Supported Internships at Cheshire Ice Cream Farm

At The Ice Cream Farm in Cheshire, inclusion and opportunity go hand in hand.

The Ice Cream Farm has long been a favourite destination for families in Cheshire and beyond, but this year, it has also become a place of learning and growth for eight Petty Pool learners! Through a strategic partnership with Petty Pool, The Ice Cream Farm has welcomed 8 learners into work placements within its restaurant and ice cream parlour, providing them with invaluable hands-on experience in a dynamic and customer-facing environment. 

Based in Tattenhall, Cheshire, The Ice Cream Farm boasts the world’s largest ice cream shop and indoor and outdoor play attractions for children of all ages, as well as The Ice Cream Drive In, for those looking for a sweet treat in a hurry!  

Still a family owned and run business, The Ice Cream Farm employ around 350 permanent and casual members of staff across the site, and are known and recognised for being a supportive and inclusive employer. 

Already embedded into their business are SEN (Special Educational Needs) sessions for visitors, which have been successfully running since 2018. The Ice Cream Farm’s SEN Sessions take place every month on a weekend morning, with the option to stay afterwards. Parents and carers can expect limited numbers of visitors, hand driers and music turned off, ear defenders available on request, indoor and outdoor attractions open (weather dependent), and sensory toys on sale. Most recently, they’ve successfully achieved their Autism Friendly Award from the National Autistic Society.  

A New Opportunity  

When The Ice Cream Farm partnered with Petty Pool, they embraced the opportunity to support young people with learning difficulties and disabilities in gaining essential workplace skills, offering learners placements across the organisation. The learners are integrating into the team, contributing to daily operations, enhancing customer service, and bringing fresh energy to the workplace, in a range of roles, including in the play team, facilities and maintenance, in the Sticky Paws Restaurant, sales and events team, and of course, in the ice cream parlour itself!    

Petty Pool learners at The Ice Cream Farm are studying a vocational course in Catering & Hospitality, covering all the skills that they need to be equipped for a career in the hospitality industry.  

The course curriculum includes food hygiene, customer service, health and safety, food preparation and storage, and more. Learners are equipped to begin their roles and can take their learnings into real-work situations.  

The Impact   

Based on the feedback and success of similar programmes with employers such as Nandos, the NHS and The Hollies Farm Shop, we’re excited to see and hear of the impact on The Ice Cream Farm team from working with our learners, as well as witnessing Petty Pool interns developing as they develop their teamwork skills, confidence and professional workplace skills – all in preparation for entering the world of work.  

Vice Principal at Petty Pool College, Gareth Edwards said: “To say we have been blown away so far with our partnership would be an understatement. 

“It’s been particularly fantastic to hear how the placements are a two-way-process and not just an opportunity for our learners to develop their skills, but also a chance for The Ice Cream Farm’s team to learn more from them. This level of collaboration and mutual growth is truly special. 

“Our learners have felt valued and supported, developing not only their job-specific skills, but also their confidence, communication and independence. The inclusive and nurturing environment created by The Ice Cream Farm, alongside our learner mentors has clearly allowed them to thrive.  

“We are truly grateful for the time, effort and care that The Ice Cream Farm has put into making this placement such a success for our young people with SEND” 

 As part of the partnership, Petty Pool are providing the whole team at The Ice Cream Farm with training around how to support those with neurodivergence in the workplace further. This will cover both their own team and customers, with the help of learners on the Digital Vocational Pathway, who are creating a training video to exemplify just how much of an impact The Ice Cream Farm team can have. This will be shown at The Ice Cream Farms team training days, and to all new staff as part of their induction. 

Fundraising / Petty Pool as Charity of the Year  

Recognising the value of this partnership, The Ice Cream Farm has gone a step further by nominating Petty Pool as their Charity of the Year. This appointment reinforces their commitment to supporting young people with additional needs, ensuring that more learners can benefit from similar opportunities in the future. 

Next time you’re enjoying a sweet treat at the ice cream farm, keep your eyes peeled to make a donation on the ordering kiosks in the ice cream parlour. We’re raising money to fund a minibus, to enable us to transport more students to more workplaces, just like The Ice Cream Farm!  

“At The Ice Cream Farm, we’re committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment beyond just our monthly SEN sessions and our SEN visitor map,” said The Ice Cream Farm CEO, Jonathan Fell. 

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Petty Pool College in Sandiway as our charity partner of the year for 2025. This partnership is incredibly important to us as we support their vital work empowering young people with learning disabilities and difficulties in Cheshire. Through vocational training, Petty Pool helps these students reach their full potential, and we’re proud to offer work experience opportunities at The Ice Cream Farm, giving them valuable hands-on experience as they take steps toward meaningful employment. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to supporting these young people in reaching their full potential and achieving their career goals.”  

Get Involved!  

Interested in exploring how your workplace or organisation can partner with Petty Pool to provide workplace opportunities for young people with SEND? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch here to reach out to our team, who’ll be glad to arrange a chat.