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Food Teachers Centre
April 2026 Newsletter
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Dear
Welcome to our April newsletter. Our focus this month is around bursaries and training, your opportunity to have ‘your say’ in our survey and the government’s progress 8 consultation, and a reminder about the Tunnock’s Teacake Challenge and the FTC Resource bank.
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Apply for a Bursary to help
fund your training
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Our new funding partner means that we can bring our community low cost or free training to over 700 teachers who need it this year. We know that budgets are tight in schools, and that non-specialists and new teachers need practical and affordable training (on-line and face to face).
How to apply
In 2026 we are offering:
If you would like to apply for a Bursary, please find out how to sign up here to receive the codes to access the courses listed. This is only open to members of the Food Teachers Centre Communty.
Your application should provide us with information about your CPD or training needs (why you need a Bursary) and after training you should complete a feedback form so that we can communicate the impact of the Bursary.
WITH GRATEFUL THANKS to Nutritional Wellbeing Foundation – an independent UK grantmaker dedicated to improving public health through better nutrition. By funding innovative, evidence-based initiatives, the Foundation works to strengthen nutritional understanding and expand access to healthy food, with a particular focus on young people and health systems. From transforming food culture in secondary schools to influencing national policy, NWF backs practical programmes designed to reduce diet-related ill health and foster healthier environments across the UK.
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Tip!
Need advice on how to bid for CPD budget and time? Check out our ‘tips summary’ for advice and suggestions – you deserve it! Click here.
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Take part in the Progress 8 Consultation
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There may be trouble ahead for food education in schools!
Neither science nor creative! Falling between the cracks!
Open consultation – Key stage 4 performance measures and targeted RISE extension
RESPOND BY 4 May 2026
The Department for Education (DfE) has proposed changes to Progress 8 (the school accountability measure) that aim to widen curriculum breadth. However, the detail shows this could come at the cost of subjects excluded from the DfE’s ‘breadth’ list.
In response to the reformed progress 8 calculation, schools will be pushed to redesign their key stage 4 curriculum. It is a likely consequence that this will limit pupil’s choice to groups of subjects.
The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking views on proposals to change the key stage 4 academic performance measures. Specifically, they are consulting on a revised Progress 8 curriculum model. This means that the existing ‘EBACC’ model will be replaced with a new model.
The diagram below show how English, maths and science will now have their own separate slots, with 2 additional GCSE’s coming from a list of subjects that provide ‘breadth’. The final 2 qualifications in ‘choice’ slots, contain all other subjects and all vocational courses from the Department for Education (DfE) approved list.
Subjects in the ‘CHOICE’ SLOT – a very large range of popular competing subjects, vocational choices, but also additional English and sciences.
For more information see Food Teachers Centre briefing note HERE
New progress 8 measure – for first use with current year 8 students (GCSE in 2029)
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Food Teacher Centre survey closes soon!
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The position of food teaching is constantly evolving, and we wish for food education to have a strong position in schools for the future. We are concerned about the impact of some of the proposals and we hope YOU can provide information about food education in your school so that we can present this to Department for Education. All information will be kept anonymous.
We want your voice heard and we want government to listen about what you think on several proposals that will affect what you teach and your career.
Do you have just 5 mins? There’s just 14 questions.
Many thanks in advance for your support. This survey closes on Friday 24 April 2026 – 5pm. Click here to take part!
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In-person food training – teachers, technicans and support staff
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Food Safety in Classrooms – 7 May, Harrow
Gain confidence, meet requirements, and bring food safety to life in your classroom.
This practical, school-focused course not only awards you a Level 2 / Foundation Food Safety qualification, but also provides accreditation aligned with nationally recognised food teaching standards.
Designed specifically for school settings, the training uses real classroom examples, so everything you learn is immediately relevant and ready to apply. Walk away feeling confident, compliant, and better equipped to manage food safety in your lessons. Click here for details and booking.
Food Technician and Support Staff –10 June, Heathfield
A dedicated day just for you, because great food teaching starts with great support.
Join fellow secondary food technicians and support staff for a hands-on, practical day packed with top tips, shared experiences, and tried-and-tested strategies.
You’ll leave with new ideas, practical solutions, and resources to make your role easier and more effective – plus the chance to connect with others who understand your day-to-day challenges. Collaborate, learn, and feel inspired in a supportive environment. Click here for details and booking.
Foundations in Food – 10 June (Bradford), 3 July (Crawley) and 3 Oct (London)
New to teaching food? Not a specialist? This course is your perfect starting point.
Build your confidence with a course designed to help you teach food at KS3 with clarity and ease. You’ll explore effective teaching approaches, while gaining practical strategies to ensure lessons run smoothly.
The day includes:
Leave feeling prepared, supported, and ready to deliver engaging food lessons.
Fish Heroes – multiple dates in England and Wales
We’ve FREE places available for Food Teacher Centre members on our #FishHeroes training day. Join us and …
🔪 learn fish knife skills
🧑🍳 cook different fish dishes
🐟 boost your fish knowledge
📚 access resources
For details, click here.
Tip! Need to set cover? Check out Guide 17 in the Food Teachers Centre Facebook Group for ideas and suggestions!
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Tip!
Need advice on how to bid for CPD budget and time? Check out our ‘tips summary’ for advice and suggestions – you deserve it! Click here.
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Tunnocks Teacake Challenge 2026
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The Tunnock’s Teacake Challenge theme for 2026 is “Around the World in a Bite”.
 All the resources to help you deliver the challenge can be found in the guides section of the Food Teachers Centre Tunnock’s Teacake Closed Facebook Competition Group (This group is only available if you are a Food Teachers Centre member): CLICK HERE and on the Google drive: CLICK HERE.
Use the challenge to teach presentation skills to your students and reward them at the same time by downloading certificates: CLICK HERE
Enter your best students work into the national competition for a chance to win a prize awarded by Tunnock’s themselves.
There are three categories:
There will be one winner from each category plus an overall challenge winner. Find out how to enter: CLICK HERE.
All entries are published in a fabulous book produced each year once the results have been announced. To purchase a copy of last year’s book: CLICK HERE.
Excellent for a no bake end of term activity or 1st lesson back after a break. Why not plan it into your scheme of work?
Closing date 1st June 2026
Already completed the challenge? Don’t delay, enter today on the Tunnock’s Teacake Facebook page: CLICK HERE (This group is only available if you are a Food Teachers Centre member)
Good luck and have fun!
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Food Teacher Day
“One mission – many classrooms”
Bookings are open!
Friday 26th June, 9.30-2pm
only £20
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 Food Teacher Day: One mission, many classrooms
The event celebrates the important work and impact of secondary school food teachers, ensuring that children and young people have inspiring food experiences! It provides an opportunity, at a local level (but delivered nationally), to learn, share and interact together. There will be updates about the national food teaching agenda, consideration for looking beyond what we currently teach, and exploration of food teaching strategies.
The event has three key elements:
The event is being hosted regionally (60+ locations!), so check where is close to you, and will be delivered via online presentations and teacher activities.
Programme
Session 1: Curriculum review impact
 Session 2: Look beyond what you currently teach
 Session 3: Action plan for positive food lessons
 Each section will comprise a series of presentations broadcast nationally, with discussion and activity conducted locally.
1. Chose your closest venue-
Where can you meet your regions food and nutrition teachers?
Live Map View – CLICK HERE or on the map below.
 2. Or book using this list
Be part of this very special day
ONLY £20 – more information CLICK HERE
The Food Teacher Day 2026 is brought to you with financial support from the Nutritional Wellbeing Foundation.
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Live Meetings for Hospitality and Catering
and GCSE BOOST
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We’d like to invite you to our upcoming meetings.
These are free to those teachers already signed up for this year’s Top Marks H&C training and GCSE BOOST – you will find details in the course chat forum and in your email. No need to book in advance, just come!
Or if you are not already joined up, you can still do so here, access is unlimited and includes these meetings plus all the ‘on demand content’. Sign up HERE
 Upcoming LIVE MEETINGS
 GCSE BOOST – Supporting Grades 1-4
Join our live session looking at examination techniques for your lower ability learners.
Thursday 16th April 7pm
All of this is included within the training, you have unlimited access, and access to a 24-7 chat forum to ask us questions.
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A spotlight on ‘spotlights’!
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Have you attended our free Spotlight sessions? These sessions cover many varied subjects and offer teachers the opportunity to hear from experts in their field and to ask questions.
You can find details of up and coming sessions in the ‘events’ tabs of the Food Teachers Centre Facebook group. They are usually broadcast in the Facebook group on a Thursday, 7pm.
 Coming soon:
All previous spotlights can be viewed in the group (go to guide 31 for the complete list, which also includes other resources).
Previous sessions include:
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Food Teacher Centre Resource bank
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Save time. Share expertise. Teach brilliantly.
The Food Teachers Centre Resource Bank is a community-powered archive designed to support busy food teachers with high-quality, ready-to-use materials.
 Why join?
A true sharing community
How it works
Supporting the Resource Bank
The Resource Bank is run by volunteers, and donations help cover essential costs like cloud storage, the website, and newsletters.
Contributions:
Join today
Gain fast, reliable access to a rich library of teaching resources and become part of a supportive, resource-sharing community that helps you teach smarter, not harder. (Remember, you need to be a member of the Food Teachers Centre community, if you are, click here. Want to join? Click here.)
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Professional Development brochure and programme
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