With no grass and lots of tarmac, Nelson St Philip’s Primary School in Lancashire had to get inventive when establishing a growing space. To get some inspiration, they attended a Food for Life training session and worked with the Food for Life team in Lancashire for further support. Armed with compost and lots of pupil creativity, they set up their own ‘Grow Our Own’ area.
Peel Park Primary School link their curriculum topics to growing, cooking and many other creative outdoor activities so that every pupil gets the opportunity to learn outdoors.
As we reach the end of a very busy year for all of us in the food world, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the successes and challenges we’ve faced and our hopes for 2025.
Miss Maher, Assistant Headteacher and the SNAG (school nutrition action group) at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Darlaston, wanted to revolutionise breaktime snacks. Despite making good progress towards a good food culture, unhealthy options remained popular at breaktimes, with few children bringing in fruit or vegetables. Even worse, the free fruit on offer each day wasn’t being enjoyed and instead languishing at breaktime.
To celebrate Cook and Share, Sound Primary School in Shetland organised a pizza making activity. Head Cook Alison heard about Cook and Share and knew it was something they had to get involved with. The plan was to tie it in with the Year Five leadership activity, helping them to practise decision making and working together as a team.
On a chilly October afternoon, the gardening club at Barden Primary School are preparing the garden for winter. The club is so popular that there are two groups of pupils who regularly attend to the garden.
This month, we were invited to Prague to share our experience of delivering a whole school approach to food in the UK at the SchoolFood4Change annual general assembly. It was excellent to hear more about school food in Europe – what’s going well, the challenges and how we can work together.
Five Medway primary schools have recently achieved their Food for Life Schools Award. This demonstrates their commitment to making changes and putting good practice in place, transforming their food culture with support from staff, pupils and the wider community.
Since enrolling with Food for Life in April, Brunshaw Primary School in Lancashire have transformed their outside space into a flourishing growing area.
School meals in the UK are in crisis. Discover why and how to help here.
Schools across the country are committing to serving healthy food & embedding a good food culture, working through the Food for Life Award criteria to do so. Find out more here
The Academy of Woodlands in Medway have been making the most of the Food for Life’s Cook and Share resources during their regular cooking club. Discover how here.
