At Highgate Primary School our cookery curriculum teaches children the essential skills that allow them to prepare, cook and eat a wide range of foods. Children can then transfer their knowledge to other cooking situations and re-create dishes at home, both now and in the future.
Cooking in school naturally cultivates teamwork in children, has strong curriculum links across key learning areas and helps children develop critical thinking skills and an understanding of the land and our communities. When children are involved in hands-on cooking, they develop an interest in and a willingness to experiment with foods and a heightened self-confidence.
Educating children about cooking is at the cornerstone of good health. As dietary habits and healthy eating track from childhood to adolescence and then to adulthood, learning to cook nutritious snacks and meals at school contributes to the long-term wellbeing of our pupils. Health education and cooking has become increasingly important as a strategy to decrease childhood obesity. Educating children at a younger age about how to cook wholesome food can help prevent future health disparities and diseases associated with obesity.
The majority of our cooking lessons take place in the school’s state-of-the-art cooking studio, which is also used outside of school hours for a range of extra-curricular clubs taught by our school chefs.
Cookery Curriculum by Year Group:
How we support children with SEN or disabilities with Cookery
