Teaching England to Cook Again
Posted: September 25, 2013
Categories: Edible Education Network / Food in the News / Good Food Ideas for Kids
For the first time ever, the English Department for Education has made it compulsory that cooking lessons become a part of the national curriculum for students up to grade 9. The requirement comes into effect in 2014. This policy is based on the recommendations of the School Food Plan which contains a series of actions, each of which is the responsibility of a named person or organization. Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent, founders of the London based restaurant chain Leon, which specializes in locally sourced fast-food, developed the plan. The Plan is a great resource on what needs to happen to transform what children eat at school, and how they learn about food. The Plan includes support for teachers via a website which allows them to connect with others, share success stories and access resources such as lesson plans.
The Plan has really taken off and has even partnered with celebrities such as Jamie Oliver to spread the word about good food. Other outcomes of the School Food Plan include the Government introducing free school meals for all children under eight and setting up a fund for non-profits to work with schools on their lunch programs; and school cooks forming an alliance in an effort to improve kitchen skills and offer support to each other. Visit the News section on the School Food Plan website for the latest developments.
The School Food Plan is efficiently summarized in this neat video below.