Food in Schools - tackling obesity
Friday, 11 December 2009
Food in Schools Primary Training (www.foodinschools.org)
The Government in England announced a new ambition in September 2007 - to be the first major country to reverse the tide of obesity. It forms part of the new Public Service Agreement (PSA) on Child Health and Well-being. The Children’s Plan (DCSF 2007) proposes that child obesity should be one of the indicators used to measure primary schools’ wider contribution to pupil well-being.
The Food in Schools (FIS) programme is a three year initiative currently in its second year. It provides a coherent and high quality training programme and on-going support system for primary schools in food education. It is the only national accredited scheme of its kind. The Primary Training aspect of the programme is designed to support the implementation of food education in primary schools through providing training, resources, follow-up advice and support to teachers and teaching assistants working in the primary phase. The training is arranged locally with accredited trainers who are food specialist secondary teachers. The training offers ‘hands-on’ practical sessions with supporting resources that can be used in the classroom. Teachers are also given the opportunity to update their knowledge of nutrition, food safety and hygiene to support the primary curriculum and the Healthy Schools programme.
The initiative is funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
Who are the partners who make up the ‘Core Team’?
FIS Primary Training is managed by the Design and Technology Association (D&T Assoc). It is supported by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) and National Primary Headteachers (NPH) association.
Why has NPH become involved?
Amongst the association’s aims in our constitution are:
• To influence the achievement of an equitable distribution of resources based on pupil need
and entitlement;
• To provide mutual help, support and understanding among primary headteachers;
• To provide channels for effective communication and networking between Headteacher
groups, academics with expertise in the primary phase and other organisations, both
national and international.
Our involvement in the FIS Primary Training programme enables us to work towards fulfilling these aims. We are able to offer the programme Core Team our expertise, particularly our communication networks with primary headteachers up and down the country. NPH’s magazine is published six times a year and reaches over 10,000 primary schools.
Since the implementation of the Government’s New Relationship with Schools (NRwS), the direct communications from Government and Local Authorities to schools has diminished considerably. A major part of our role in the FIS Primary Training programme is to make schools aware of the initiative and encourage them to take part. We carry regular features on the programme in the magazine and work with the SSAT on the overall communications strategy.
How does the scheme work?
Primary school teacher or teaching assistant
The primary school teacher who attends a training event will usually have responsibility as subject leader for design and technology, including food technology. However, personal, social and health education (PSHE), PE, science or Healthy Schools subject leaders/co-ordinators, as well as headteachers or deputy headteachers, and teaching assistants, may well attend. The school will send a written agreement to attend the training. This person will be required to promote food and nutrition education in their school to ensure a high profile is developed and maintained. They will have the responsibility to cascade the training to other colleagues in their school in order that they may work together to modify their school’s schemes of work in light of the training received. They will also play an important role in promoting the programme to parents, children and governors.
Local Trainers
FIS has approximately 350 Local Trainers who are recruited from a pool of fully qualified secondary food specialists. The rigorous recruitment process ensures that committed practitioners and enthusiastic schools join the programme, as part of the school’s wider outreach work to their local primaries. Trainers are school-based with access to specialist facilities at no cost to provide training for primary schools in their local areas in order to facilitate sustained and better food education and to support the Healthy Schools programme. They receive initial training and on-going support from the Regional Managers and national team in all aspects of the programme
The role of the Local Trainer is to liaise with local primary schools to provide continuing professional development (CPD), focusing on the primary food curriculum including ongoing support. They also liaise with the local Healthy Schools co-ordinator to promote the Healthy Schools programme, in particular the healthy eating strand and help primary colleagues to develop a whole school food policy. Because they set and maintain standards with regard to food preparation, food handling and health and safety, they attend an annual day training event, as part of their own CPD.
Regional Managers
Regional Managers are contracted to support their areas between 20-30 days per year to:
• Develop regional partnerships to support the work of local trainers
• Support and communicate with local trainers
• Monitor local trainers
• Support the management of the scheme
• Promote and market the scheme
National Team
This is the Core Team supported by an advisory group made up of representatives from other relevant organisations e.g. the Healthy Schools Programme, the Academy of Culinary Arts, Hospitality & Leisure Manpower, the School Food Trust, HEI Food Technology Training, the Food Standards Agency, Local Authorities, University representatives, DCSF, Department of Health, the Year of Food and Farming, the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Authority, Schools Adopt a Chef, and Primary Headteachers.
In an independent evaluation, participants said:
‘Excellent subject content and delivery, lots of fantastic ideas to take back to school’
‘Very relaxed and informative. Inspiring for those who are nervous about cooking.’
Peter Gordon, NPH Executive and FIS Core Team
The Government in England announced a new ambition in September 2007 - to be the first major country to reverse the tide of obesity. It forms part of the new Public Service Agreement (PSA) on Child Health and Well-being. The Children’s Plan (DCSF 2007) proposes that child obesity should be one of the indicators used to measure primary schools’ wider contribution to pupil well-being.
The Food in Schools (FIS) programme is a three year initiative currently in its second year. It provides a coherent and high quality training programme and on-going support system for primary schools in food education. It is the only national accredited scheme of its kind. The Primary Training aspect of the programme is designed to support the implementation of food education in primary schools through providing training, resources, follow-up advice and support to teachers and teaching assistants working in the primary phase. The training is arranged locally with accredited trainers who are food specialist secondary teachers. The training offers ‘hands-on’ practical sessions with supporting resources that can be used in the classroom. Teachers are also given the opportunity to update their knowledge of nutrition, food safety and hygiene to support the primary curriculum and the Healthy Schools programme.
The initiative is funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
Who are the partners who make up the ‘Core Team’?
FIS Primary Training is managed by the Design and Technology Association (D&T Assoc). It is supported by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) and National Primary Headteachers (NPH) association.
Why has NPH become involved?
Amongst the association’s aims in our constitution are:
• To influence the achievement of an equitable distribution of resources based on pupil need
and entitlement;
• To provide mutual help, support and understanding among primary headteachers;
• To provide channels for effective communication and networking between Headteacher
groups, academics with expertise in the primary phase and other organisations, both
national and international.
Our involvement in the FIS Primary Training programme enables us to work towards fulfilling these aims. We are able to offer the programme Core Team our expertise, particularly our communication networks with primary headteachers up and down the country. NPH’s magazine is published six times a year and reaches over 10,000 primary schools.
Since the implementation of the Government’s New Relationship with Schools (NRwS), the direct communications from Government and Local Authorities to schools has diminished considerably. A major part of our role in the FIS Primary Training programme is to make schools aware of the initiative and encourage them to take part. We carry regular features on the programme in the magazine and work with the SSAT on the overall communications strategy.
How does the scheme work?
Primary school teacher or teaching assistant
The primary school teacher who attends a training event will usually have responsibility as subject leader for design and technology, including food technology. However, personal, social and health education (PSHE), PE, science or Healthy Schools subject leaders/co-ordinators, as well as headteachers or deputy headteachers, and teaching assistants, may well attend. The school will send a written agreement to attend the training. This person will be required to promote food and nutrition education in their school to ensure a high profile is developed and maintained. They will have the responsibility to cascade the training to other colleagues in their school in order that they may work together to modify their school’s schemes of work in light of the training received. They will also play an important role in promoting the programme to parents, children and governors.
Local Trainers
FIS has approximately 350 Local Trainers who are recruited from a pool of fully qualified secondary food specialists. The rigorous recruitment process ensures that committed practitioners and enthusiastic schools join the programme, as part of the school’s wider outreach work to their local primaries. Trainers are school-based with access to specialist facilities at no cost to provide training for primary schools in their local areas in order to facilitate sustained and better food education and to support the Healthy Schools programme. They receive initial training and on-going support from the Regional Managers and national team in all aspects of the programme
The role of the Local Trainer is to liaise with local primary schools to provide continuing professional development (CPD), focusing on the primary food curriculum including ongoing support. They also liaise with the local Healthy Schools co-ordinator to promote the Healthy Schools programme, in particular the healthy eating strand and help primary colleagues to develop a whole school food policy. Because they set and maintain standards with regard to food preparation, food handling and health and safety, they attend an annual day training event, as part of their own CPD.
Regional Managers
Regional Managers are contracted to support their areas between 20-30 days per year to:
• Develop regional partnerships to support the work of local trainers
• Support and communicate with local trainers
• Monitor local trainers
• Support the management of the scheme
• Promote and market the scheme
National Team
This is the Core Team supported by an advisory group made up of representatives from other relevant organisations e.g. the Healthy Schools Programme, the Academy of Culinary Arts, Hospitality & Leisure Manpower, the School Food Trust, HEI Food Technology Training, the Food Standards Agency, Local Authorities, University representatives, DCSF, Department of Health, the Year of Food and Farming, the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Authority, Schools Adopt a Chef, and Primary Headteachers.
In an independent evaluation, participants said:
‘Excellent subject content and delivery, lots of fantastic ideas to take back to school’
‘Very relaxed and informative. Inspiring for those who are nervous about cooking.’
Peter Gordon, NPH Executive and FIS Core Team