Online Training

*This training is currently only available to schools within Food for Life commissioned areas in England. If you are unsure if your school is within a commissioned area, please email us or take a look at our commissions page here.

Our training enables schools to develop an understanding of the Food for Life programme, achieve the Food for Life Served Here accreditation and support Food for Life activities. 

The courses we have available are:

New for 2022! School Nutrition Action Group Module

With covid restrictions dialling down, schools can celebrate the return to ‘normal’ with a relaunch of their School Nutrition Action Group (SNAG).

This online learning module provides everything the Food for Life lead needs to set up their SNAG and start delivering meaningful change for the school food environment.

Food for Life research has shown that schools with an effective SNAG set up are likely to make positive and long term changes to school food. It also builds the foundations for a Whole School Approach to your Food for Life Award.

This lively, interactive module takes no more than 1 hour to complete and can be undertaken in sections at your convenience.

Healthy School Environment training for senior leadership teams

An opportunity to learn about the statutory duties around food in schools and how to build this practice effectively into your school food environment. Learners will understand the basics of nutrition and the relevance and application of the School Food Standards. 

The course also covers how to create a positive dining environment and how to manage a catering contract, to ensure your pupils benefit from a nutritious lunch that sets them up to learn and eat well for life.

Smart Eating training for Chefs, Cooks and Midday supervisors in Schools

Aimed at those on the ground working in schools, helping children to eat healthy food. 

This training introduces nutrition, using Public Health England’s Eatwell guidance, alongside practical examples and solutions on everything from portion control to picky eating. 

Trainees come away feeling empowered on the impact they can have everyday, supporting children to eat well.

Chicken Keeping

Caring for chickens helps people to make connections with the natural world, reconnects them with where their food comes from and allows them to make informed food choices of their own. 

This course introduces participants to chicken keeping and helps them to identify some of the main welfare considerations. The course looks at breeds, choosing the right birds and chicken care

Growing for Schools

This course equips school staff with the skills and knowledge needed to start sustainable food growing in their school setting. Participants will gain confidence, ideas, skills and knowledge for leading food growing activities. 

They will also understand how to start linking food growing to the curriculum, and provide the confidence to start working towards the Food for Life Award growing criteria.

Setting up a farm visit

This course looks at the different types of farms that are available to visit and the benefits of educational farm visits. The course also looks at how to set up your farm visit by discussing:

• pre-visits, 
• health and safety,
• transport and 
• funding

School Farmers’ Markets

This online course aims to support participants to set up a farmers’ market at school. 

It will also introduce activities that engage pupils in the market planning process. The course looks at the what a farmers’ market is, how to plan for your market, finding local stallholders and some of the health and safety considerations involved in setting up a market.

An introduction to the Food for Life Early Years Award

This course provides participants with an overview of the Food for Life Early Years Award, empowering participants to embed a culture of good food for children in the early years. 

These modules will give your staff knowledge and confidence in nutrition and food education, as well as supporting your setting with menu planning and parental engagement. 

The course equips early years practitioners with the skills and knowledge needed to be able to demonstrate that their setting is giving every child in their care the best possible start to their development through a positive food journey.

Cooking for Schools

This course inspires participants to undertake cooking activities in wider school situations, in line with the primary curriculum. 

It provides support with planning, organising and running cooking activities; guidance on health and safety; as well as skills, techniques and resources. 

Participants will gain confidence, skills and knowledge to plan and lead cooking activities with children and the wider school community, and also be guided to make good food choices in line with the Food for Life School Award.

If you have any questions or would like more details please get in touch.