The government has announced compulsory “practical cookery” lessons for teenagers in England as part of its anti-obesity campaign.   Each teenager should get around 12 lessons at some time in their secondary school life - they could be as a once a week one term course, or it could be several intensive periods, or spread out over time.The schools secretary is asking the public to come up with ideas for the classic English dishes and international cuisine that children should learn to cook.

From September, all KS3 schools that currently offering food technology classes will teach practical cookery.  The remaining schools (about 15%) will  teach the compulsory classes by 2011.   No indication has come as to how the new project is to be fixed into the curriculum.

The emphasis will be on making sure pupils can master simple, healthy recipes using fresh ingredients.  The parents will have to pay for the ingredients. 

Cookery is already compulsory in primary schools and the government began an overhaul of school dinners three years ago after Jamie Oliver campaigned against the poor quality of school dinners.

The Schools Procurement Site ([1] www.top5.org.uk) is very light on supplies to do with cooking - if you would like to be listed you’ll find a suppliers information section on the menus on the left.

Tony Attwood

Read about selling into education on [2] www.educationmarketing.org.uk

Advertise your products on the School Procurement Site [1] www.top5.org.uk