Practical cookery and food education is now compulsory in the new national curriculum for pupils up to the end of key stage 3 (age 14).
Main things to teach
As part of their work with food, pupils should be taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating.
Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity.
Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life.
Pupils should be taught to
- understand and apply the principles of nutrition and health
- cook a repertoire of predominantly savoury dishes so that they are able to feed themselves and others a healthy and varied diet
- become competent in a range of cooking techniques [for example, selecting and preparing ingredients; using utensils and electrical equipment; applying heat in different ways; using awareness of taste, texture and smell to decide how to season dishes and combine ingredients; adapting and using their own recipes]
- understand the source, seasonality and characteristics of a broad range of ingredients
The School Food Plan has actions and recommendations for school food.
Times Educational Supplement (TES) has created a food education platform – click here for info – nice and simple to use.
There is also a What Works Well section for food education – well done!