Food for thought: Healthy eating and cooking to become compulsory in secondary schools

Monday, 22 July 2013

Teaching about food and cooking is set to become compulsory in secondary schools from September 2014 – how can your school prepare?

Teaching about food and cooking is set to become compulsory in secondary schools from September 2014, the Government said in February and reiterated recently .

The move comes following recommendations by restaurateurs Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent – they are leading the School Food Plan, which aims to improve the diets of the nation’s school children. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who has campaigned to fight childhood obesity and educate children about food, has also welcomed the announcement .

The food focus comes at a time when some experts claim we are facing a childhood obesity epidemic, with figures suggesting that more than a third of children are leaving primary school obese or overweight – and indications that the problem is getting worse.

Debate rages on about whose responsibility childhood obesity is – parents, schools, the government or a combination of these. However, it’s clear that schools will now need to do more to teach about food and cookery in a formal way.

Healthy eating and the curriculum: What’s cooking?

Previously, only primary schools had to give basic lessons about food preparation and hygiene, as part of the Design and Technology (D&T) curriculum. In secondary schools, it was just a D&T option (together with textiles). There was no requirement to teach pupils about good nutrition or practical cookery in D&T.

From 2014, the requirements for both primary schools and secondary schools will be strengthened, so that:

• All pupils in primary school will learn the principles of healthy eating and where food comes from. They will also be taught basic cooking techniques and how to cook a variety of savoury dishes.


• In secondary schools, food will be compulsory at Key Stage 3 for the first time ever for all children. Pupils will be taught about the importance of nutrition, a balanced diet, and about the characteristics of a broad range of ingredients. They will also will be taught to cook a repertoire of savoury meals and become confident in a range of cooking techniques.

Preparing for the changes

Schools will be keen to prepare for these changes in time for 2014, and many are eager to teach more about food and sensible eating now to help their pupils stay healthy.

Our Nutrition and Health qualification could form an essential part of your strategy for teaching about food.It:

• Explains what healthy eating is and why it’s important


• Includes content on nutrition and health for vegetarians and allergy sufferers, healthy food preparation and how nutritional needs vary with age, as well as food labelling and food additives.


• Pupils can use the content to write their own healthy eating plans, menus and recipes to ensure that they eat a healthy balanced diet.

These features also mean that many schools choose NCFE Level 2 Award in Nutrition and Health to support pupils who are interested in a career in catering and hospitality.
Here’s how schools typically use the qualification:

• A standalone vocational qualification at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 to support healthy eating requirements and catering and hospitality career pathways


• To support GCSE study - NCFE Level 2 Award in Nutrition and Health is a perfect complement to GCSE Leisure and Tourism , for example

Try our Nutrition and Health qualification

• Try a taster of NCFE Level 2 Award in Nutrition and Health


• If you’d like a free demonstration of vision2learn in person or online, please get in touch

We also offer a range of other online vocational courses and GCSE resources.