All aboard for some food focus
Pupils at Bidford-on-Avon CofE Primary School will learn how to prepare tasty and healthy meals on board a giant mobile kitchen when a national campaign’s touring cookery bus stops in the playground next week.
Warwickshire County Council’s school catering division and the school arranged for the Food for Life initiative to bring their Focus on Food Cooking Bus (a specially modified articulated lorry which opens into a purpose built kitchen and classroom) to the school on Thursday 6 May to teach young people all about what they eat.
Pupils, teachers, and catering staff will be invited onto the bus to take part in interactive sessions covering key aspects of food education from food preparation skills to nutrition, food safety and hygiene.
Bidford Primary School’s catering manager Tanya Fisher said: “All of my staff are looking forward to this session where we will be investigating food quality and providence. It will be a great opportunity for all members of the school and local community to develop their cooking skills.
“It’s also an opportunity to work with other local schools so on Thursday pupils from Studley and Salford Priors will be coming to take part in shared cooking sessions with Bidford on Avon children based around the theme of Food from Around the World.”
The benefits of the sessions are wide ranging, not only will students learn how to prepare and enjoy food but teachers gain the expertise, confidence and skills to plan and teach cooking at school.
The programme is linked to other subjects, offering opportunities for cross-curricular work because activities teach a number of key skills, such as communication, teamwork, enterprise and problem-solving.
Bidford Primary School is one of three Food for Life flagship schools in Warwickshire committed to achieving bronze, silver and gold awards for imbedding good food culture. Although all schools are welcome to join the scheme pupils at these schools get extra help from the programme to achieve their bronze award including the cooking bus sessions and support from a horticulturist.
Elsewhere around the county 22 schools are also enrolled who are supported by the County Caterers to work toward the bronze level at their own pace.
Rachel Brook, Development Manager for County Caterers, coordinates the scheme in Warwickshire, she said: “By following the Food for Life framework, pupils at participating schools will be set up for life with knowledge and practical skills to take control of how they eat and its impact on their health, animal welfare and climate.
“It’s still early days in terms of our involvement with Food for Life in Warwickshire and we hope to get more schools signed up to working toward the awards in the coming months.
“In addition to Food for Life resources, and support from the county caterers, the programme criteria also complement the Healthy Schools agenda so schools can readily appreciate the benefits of getting involved.”