Home › News

Food Teachers Centre April 2022 News

Posted on by by
 
Food Teacher’s Centre stands out as one of the best Facebook communities
 
For the past 8 months, this team has been part of the Facebook/Meta Community Accelerator programme. We launched 3 new initiatives called Next Generation. Kitchen Angels and Fly Higher, and we have been part of a brilliant coaching and mentoring programme provided by Facebook/Meta and Founders Intelligence.
It’s helped us build exciting partnerships, for example with Tom Kerridge and Marcus Rashford on Full Time Meals (and Tom will be speaking at on National event on 9th July!).
This month, we presented our work as part of virtual ‘demo days’ across nine regions. This gave 128 communities a chance to share their progress and celebrate their achievements as well as their vision for the future, to an audience of their peers and external partners.
This month, it has been announced that Food Teachers Centre is selected to take part in Phase 2 of the Community Accelerator Programme. Only 36 were chosen across the world. We were evaluated on our programme participation, execution of our current projects and future impact of how we would use the additional support.
A huge thank you to all of the team, colleagues and new friends who have helped us on this amazing journey.  It has been such a huge vote of confidence on the impact of what we do and the way we run the Community.
Our next challenge is getting our voice heard more loudly!
Get involved – Join our MP campaign
We all get frustrated that politicians are out of touch and are not aware of food education issues.
But we have come up with a plan and campaign to address this (or try!). Working with a celebrity chef who has the ear of government, we are setting out to showcase your great work, and food teaching issues so that your MP can be knowledgeable, informed and speak up in the House. BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.
We will be showcasing your great work to 22 MPs (listed here in the private facebook community).  If the MP FOR YOUR SCHOOL is on this list, then please contact us here (Giving the name of your MP and your school)
Thanks for your support, we will keep you posted
Good Luck with this year’s revision and exams, it has been a tough journey for teachers and students
Tunnock’s Tea Cake Challenge – DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 27TH MAY

 

After many requests,  we have extended the deadline for the entries to 27th May 2022.  The Challenge is to present a Tunnock’s Teacake to the theme of “The Natural World”.
Judging criteria are: presenting a stunning dish using creativity and a variety of skills. Your idea should embrace diversity, sustainability and healthy eating.
Please upload your entry along with the required details HERE. Teaching resources for presentation skills and voting also are here.

 
Partnering with Healthy Chinese Cuisine Ambassadors to bring you FREE practical training.
 
Fun 🙂 Healthy Chinese Cuisine CPD Teacher Training Workshops are coming FREE to your area soon
Don’t miss it! Why this is a great training day:
  • This training is fully subsidised (free).
  • Feedback from other teachers praise this high quality course delivery, development of expert level practical skills for GCSE and Vocational courses and healthy recipes to use in modern classrooms.
  • Teachers get the opportunity to enter the competition with the prize of an amazing trip to Hong Kong.
Join FUN:) HCCA free Teacher Training with professional trainer to learn about Chinese regional cuisines and gain new skills to complement your teaching. The training day covers a range of Chinese dishes & cooking methods, and participants will have an opportunity to compete for a prize trip to Hong Kong & China!
See the video from the 2018 Hong Kong Trip with 3 lucky UK food teachers
PROGRAMME ON THE DAY:
  • Presentation: “Chinese Regional Cuisines & How Sauces are Used”
  • Cooking Demonstration of 5 popular Chinese dishes: 1) Steamed Fish, 2) Red Braised Meat, 3) XO Egg Fried Rice, 4) Dumplings, and 5) Broccoli Beef Stir-fry.
  • Teachers Practical & Competition: participants cook 2 dishes (Broccoli Beef Stir-fry and Dumplings)
  • Finalist for “Advanced Chinese Cookery Workshop & Grand Final” is announced
  • Feedback & Q&A
NOTE – Places are limited to first come, first served.
PLEASE DO NOT BOOK A PLACE UNLESS YOU ARE COMMITTED TO ATTENDING
 This training day is open to all food teaching staff in schools (eg. food teachers, teaching assistants, and food technicians).
 
Events coming near you shortly……..
 
CAMBRIDGE
 
Date: Saturday 11th June 2022
 
Venue: , , ,
 
Time: 11AM-4PM
 
More dates and locations will be published soon.
CLOSING THE GAP 
Saturday 9th July (On-Line and recorded)
Join the Food Teachers Centre and inspirational speakers for this national food and nutrition education conference. This event brings together the latest national changes and challenges for food education all in one place, as well as providing practical solutions and ideas to use directly in teaching.
The event aims to:
  • set out the current national agenda and how this directly effects what we do
  • outline the whole school food agenda for pupil health
  • review new research into poverty, deprivation and food teaching
  • investigate practical strategies for inclusivity and diversity
  • explore practical ways in which the food teaching community can close the attainment gap
  • look at how we can provide life changing opportunities for all pupils.
This on-line workshop is divided into three sections:
 
Session 1
‘Levelling up’ – Why food education is vitally important
Opening addresses will be given by special guests
Sharon Hodgson MP for Washington and Sunderland West  and Tom Kerridge
Session 2
Setting the National Scene and Context – actions back at school 
With presentations from national policymakers and educators, including Brian Oppenheim, OFSTED Subject Lead for D&T.
 
These opening sessions chaired by Louise T Davies (Food Teacher’s Centre) and Roy Ballam (School food and nutrition consultant, formerly BNF) will explain what the Government’s latest ‘Levelling Up’ White paper recommends. It explores how these priorities may be put into practice and the changes expected in schools now and in the future. We provide a clear pathway for actions back in school.
Session 3 
 Closing the Gap – making a difference
This session focuses on the best practice from schools, with inspiring school leaders and teachers who are making a difference.
1. Child Poverty and access to the curriculum for diverse populations
a) Georgina Burt (Child Poverty Action Group) presents recent evidence from ‘Cost of the School Day’ report and sets us a clear challenge to address in our schools.
b) We explore how to give young people a voice and how senior leaders have made a difference in their schools by addressing inclusion
(Anita Hudson, Assistant Head: Inclusion and Welfare, Byrchall High School Wigan and Natalie Tebbatt, Assistant Head, Lutterworth High School).
 
2. Boys Attainment Gap
There is a 17-point difference at GCSE between boys and girls, we look at the practical suggestions to close this attainment gap.
(Julie Messenger, Food Teachers Centre)
 
Why attend?
  • Get updates about the national picture and what this means to you and your school
  • Take away strategies and tips to implement directly back at school – from tackling attainment and deprivation to delivering modern food lessons for all
  • Listen to a range of inspirational speakers
  • Join like-minded food teachers who want to (and do!) make a difference
  • Focus on your professional development – a certificate of attendance is provided as evidence
  • Receive a digital package of support based on the day
  • Attend from the comfort of your home (less time and money travelling)
EARLY BIRD PRICE ONLY £50 (plus Eventbrite fee), free places for trainee teachers.
More information and book your place here 
‘School Plates’: plant-based cooking in schools online workshop
Thursday 26th May 3-4pm
  • Introduction to the School Plates Programme
  • Why it’s important to offer healthy and sustainable menus with planet-friendly meals
  • How to use plant-based ingredients, cooking methods & demonstration of recipes
We’d love you to join us from 3pm – 4pm on Thursday 26th May. If you’d like to attend, more details are here
Simply Scallops launches in May
50 lucky schools will be receiving free frozen Scallops from MacDuff/Clearwater in Scotland in May, with the kind support of the Fishmongers Charitable Trust.
So, if you have not joined yet, you can still join our fish hero programme here.
  
Looking for training – for KS3, GCSE, H&C, Food Safety in classrooms, Food Science?
We have a wide range of on-line courses, from exam course support, to KS3 360,  Food Safety, Food Science and Technician Toolkit.
FREE TRAINING
Calling all LONDON STAFF – join us on the 4-7th July for a 4 day culinary skills course (City and Guilds) FREE – more details are here
Posted in Cooking, Cooking skills, News, Newsletters, Teaching

Food Teachers Centre March 2022 News

Posted on by by
 
Teach Food Campaign – Gov. only 23% target for trainee teachers
We continue to campaign to recruit more food teachers and let Department for Education know about issues we have around food teacher shortages, lack of support for non-specialist staff and working conditions affecting teacher retention.
The latest government figures show that initial teacher training is only 23% of the target needed – so we simply don’t have enough trainees entering the profession. So, in March we worked with Sharon Hodgson MP to ask a parliamentary question about what the DfE were doing about this teacher shortage.
You can see their response here and here.  And on what is being done to make sure food and nutrition is taught by Barry Sheerman is here Whilst we are pleased that D&T has the bursary back there is still a great deal that needs to be done. This week alone there are 111 teaching vacancies. Getting these questions asked of Ministers in very important, and any school experiencing shortages should make this know to their local MP.
  • We continue to publicise the need for more food teachers through social media. See our latest article published in Food Matters Live
  • Check our website section to help people navigate the different training routes into food teaching here.
  • Remember that in addition to bursaries, training teachers can apply for a charitable grant from the All Saints Educational Trust here
LEVELLING UP – Food Education to be given priority
This month has also seen the publication of the Governments future policies for ‘Levelling Up’ and for ‘Opportunities for All’.
A summary of how food education has been mentioned on p236 as part of this new policy is included for your reference here.
We are very pleased to see that the government has announced making a priority for the subject to be taught in all schools.
“Too many young people are still leaving education without the skills and knowledge to cook and live healthily. Adopting Henry Dimbleby’s recommendations around eating and learning, the UK Government will invest up to £5m to launch a school cooking revolution, including the development of brand new content for the curriculum and providing bursaries for teacher training and leadership. To support this, the UK Government will invest up to £200,000 to pilot new training for school governors and academy trusts on a whole school approach to food. Through these interventions, the UK Government will aim for every child leaving secondary school to know at least six basic recipes that will support healthy living into adulthood.”
There is currently a lot of discussion about what new content is needed and how to best spend the money to train leaders in schools. At the heart of this, we feel that the whole school food approach is the greatest priority. We hope (and are making a case for) many food teachers might guide their schools through the improvements needed, gaining the professional recognition and resources they require to teach food and nutrition well across the school. Watch this space and come to our summer event! (see below)
CLOSING THE GAP 
Saturday 9th July (On-Line and recorded)
Join the Food Teachers Centre and inspirational speakers for this national food and nutrition education conference. This event brings together the latest national changes and challenges for food education all in one place, as well as providing practical solutions and ideas to use directly in teaching.
The event aims to:
  • set out the current national agenda and how this directly effects what we do
  • outline the whole school food agenda for pupil health
  • review new research into poverty, deprivation and food teaching
  • investigate practical strategies for inclusivity and diversity
  • explore practical ways in which the food teaching community can close the attainment gap
  • look at how we can provide life changing opportunities for all pupils.
This on-line workshop is divided into three sections:
 
Session 1
‘Levelling up’ – Why food education is vitally important
Opening addresses will be given by special guests
Sharon Hodgson MP for Washington and Sunderland West  and Tom Kerridge
Session 2
Setting the National Scene and Context – actions back at school 
With presentations from national policymakers and educators, including Brian Oppenheim, OFSTED Subject Lead for D&T.
 
These opening sessions chaired by Louise T Davies (Food Teacher’s Centre) and Roy Ballam (School food and nutrition consultant, formerly BNF) will explain what the Government’s latest ‘Levelling Up’ White paper recommends. It explores how these priorities may be put into practice and the changes expected in schools now and in the future. We provide a clear pathway for actions back in school.
Session 3 
 Closing the Gap – making a difference
This session focuses on the best practice from schools, with inspiring school leaders and teachers who are making a difference.
1. Child Poverty and access to the curriculum for diverse populations
a) Georgina Burt (Child Poverty Action Group) presents recent evidence from ‘Cost of the School Day’ report and sets us a clear challenge to address in our schools.
b) We explore how to give young people a voice and how senior leaders have made a difference in their schools by addressing inclusion
(Anita Hudson, Assistant Head: Inclusion and Welfare, Byrchall High School Wigan and Natalie Tebbatt, Assistant Head, Lutterworth High School).
 
2. Boys Attainment Gap
There is a 17-point difference at GCSE between boys and girls, we look at the practical suggestions to close this attainment gap.
(Julie Messenger, Food Teachers Centre)
 
Why attend?
  • Get updates about the national picture and what this means to you and your school
  • Take away strategies and tips to implement directly back at school – from tackling attainment and deprivation to delivering modern food lessons for all
  • Listen to a range of inspirational speakers
  • Join like-minded food teachers who want to (and do!) make a difference
  • Focus on your professional development – a certificate of attendance is provided as evidence
  • Receive a digital package of support based on the day
  • Attend from the comfort of your home (less time and money travelling)
EARLY BIRD PRICE ONLY £50 (plus Eventbrite fee), free places for trainee teachers.
More information and book your place here 
     
Community Accelerator News 2021-22
Just a quick update on our three Community Accelerator Programmes funded and supported by Facebook
 
Next Generation group
 
We are pleased to announce that our Next Generation programme has launched with the help of members Sarah Badzire, Mary Campbell, Adrienne Gristwood, Fay-Sherree Fisher, Lindsey Roberts, Liane Summers, Natalie Tebbatt, and Victoria Thomas.
They will be participating in a very exciting programme to develop their national leadership skills and community management, whilst progressing in their subject expertise.

 
Kitchen Angels
Our Kitchen Angels programme is bringing new volunteers to help in schools, including 6th formers who have been looking for opportunities to extend their skills to add to job and university applications. Perhaps this is something that you can set up in your school.
Jannat Azim is a 6th Former at Canons High School who supports Mary Campbell in Food lessons.
 
‘Every Friday I volunteer in the food room, giving extra support KS3 and KS4 students. I chose to offer support in this subject as I felt it gave me a great deal of confidence, wanting to pass that on to other students. The food room has always felt like a safe spot for me, having an inordinate relationship with the teachers who taught me food technology. I tend to work with students who are English-language learners (ELL), having one to one session with them to help them not fall behind at a crucial point of their studies. Giving them the best chance possible to pass the GCSEs. Having this one-to-one session has really developed my personal skills such as having a great deal in patients, finding different ways in which I can help different student to understand content. I found that this interaction has developed my people skills and communication skills where it would be needed for pursuing my career of becoming a psychiatrist. This role has required me to work on my time management. With my volunteer work and school life it imitates adulthood, of manging a job and university. This in my view is preparing me for the future, as a student myself I can relate to the troubles and worries that the students may face allowing me to have an advantage when helping them overcome these vigorous obstacles.’ 
                
At Churchill Community College with Jenny Bruce a Year 12 student volunteers in the Food, Textiles and Health & Social Care Department
 
‘I have helped in both Health and Social lessons and Food Technology and worked with students in Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11. While doing this I learnt a lot about how different students learn differently to others and found ways to help everyone individually. I also realised how much of an impact teachers and volunteers have on children and how much the children’s lives can change, knowing they have the right support. 
I also learnt a lot about cooking. I developed a lot of relationships with younger students due to learning about different foods and how to cook them, we were learning at the same time. I never did food technology in my school years, however this is something I find really interesting and wished I had done. Learning at the same time as the students helped the bonds I now have with them grow, and we are now at a stage where they feel able to ask me questions about the work they are doing. I can now cook different food myself at home due to learning about this in the lessons I helped in. 
I also learnt a lot about myself and how good it made me feel to know I was helping others, whilst also learning about the career path teaching leads to. I have thought about going into teaching due to volunteering and this is something I have realised could change students’ lives, by having the amazing support they do.
I am forever grateful to all teachers who have allowed me to help in their lessons as I have learnt a lot about myself also. I will continue to volunteer as much as I can until I leave Sixth Form in June 2023.’
Fly Higher – join the pilot
 
Fly higher is a programme of support and key resources for secondary food teachers who need the most help. These may be new teachers, early career teachers (ECT/NQT), lone teachers, teachers who have transferred from other subjects with little training, and those in challenging teaching situations.
Each term, the teacher will receive targeted help, delivered by very experienced food teachers and leaders. The support will be divided into manageable chunks and personalised. It will provide the ‘just in time’ resources that teachers need to deliver high quality lessons, without re-inventing the wheel.
If you are a new food teacher, early career teacher (ECT/NQT), lone teacher, or teachers who has transferred from another subjects with little training, and would like to join our pilot programme March – July 2022, please contact us at info@foodteacherscentre.co.uk.
This programme will be offered at a considerable discount to the final programme, in return for testing and feedback this summer, but a donation will be expected to join the programme. We will be launching this programme fully in the Autumn Term 2022.
GCSE Exam Topics and NEA Marking for the first time
Hundreds of teachers attended our training sessions so that they could discuss this year’s GCSE exam topics, which have been released early to support the time missed due to C19.  You can access the recordings of these trainings for a small donation. Details email info@foodteacherscentre.oc.uk
If you are marking NEA for the first time, please remember that you can ask for  a mentor (free) in the Food Teachers Centre Group here, you can connect with other teachers doing the same board/tasks here (free) and you can watch the recorded advice given at our meeting on 28th March for a small donation to join our NEA TOGETHER training room here
Are we teaching kids enough about food?
Are we teaching kids enough about food? – on Global Obesity Day

How do we inspire young people to become fascinated by food? It’s a question food teachers up and down the country are answering every day – but is their work being valued?

In England, there has been a big decline in children taking a GCSE in food and nutrition, and it is the only national curriculum subject that doesn’t have an A-level.

That’s despite the crucial role learning about food and nutrition can play in our efforts to tackle the obesity crisis.

In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, Stefan Gates is joined by Louise T Davies, Founder of the Food Teachers Centre.

They discuss the shortage of food teachers in our schools, the importance of giving children hands-on experience in the kitchen, and the disconnect between what is being taught in lessons and what is being served up in the school dinner hall. Louise also gives some top tips on the best way to get your children fascinated by food.
Tunnock’s Tea Cake Challenge – DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 27TH MAY

 

After many requests,  we have extended the deadline for the entries to 27th May 2022.  The Challenge is to present a Tunnock’s Teacake to the theme of “The Natural World”.
Judging criteria are: presenting a stunning dish using creativity and a variety of skills. Your idea should embrace diversity, sustainability and healthy eating.
Please upload your entry along with the required details HERE. Teaching resources for presentation skills and voting also are here.

 
Happy 9th Birthday to the Food Teachers Centre
  • Have you been with us since the start?
  • What have been the most useful things for you?
  • What have you gained by being part of this group?
Big shout out thanks to ALL OF YOU – for sharing and helping, and to the behind-the-scenes team, who were crazy enough to volunteer.  You can see a quick video of the celebration here.
  • 98% food teachers in England belong to the group and 80% visit every day!
  • Supported more than 24,000 teachers and staff at 600 events/workshops/ over the past 8 years.
  • This year alone we’ve created and run 80 events, have 15 on-line training courses with 2078 enrolled.
  • Teachers have shared more than 10,000 teaching resources and lesson plans, with thousands entering our competitions.
  • We’ve mobilised partners and charity funding so that 1600 teachers attended FREE Fish Hero and Culinary Arts training
  • Delivered 8 tonnes of mussels from Cornwall and 10,000 portions of salmon from Alaska all over the country for 36,000 children to cook with.
  • Our group is a case study of good practice in UNITED NATIONS 2020 ‘School Based Food and Nutrition Education’ White Paper
  • Contributor to 2022 Levelling UP White paper
GOOD NEWS FOR Fish Hero for 2022-23
You will have seen the amazing photos of our students working with free deliveries of Mussels and Salmon this term.
We are pleased to announce that the Fishmongers Charitable Trust have extended the programme through into 2023.
So, if you have not joined yet, you can still join our fish hero programme here.
Looking for training – for KS3, GCSE, H&C, Food Safety in classrooms, Food Science?
We have a wide range of on-line courses, from exam course support, to KS3 360,  Food Safety, Food Science and Technician Toolkit.
FREE TRAINING
Calling all LONDON STAFF – join us on the 4-7th July for a 4 day culinary skills course (City and Guilds) FREE – more details are here
Posted in Cooking, Cooking skills, News, Newsletters, Teaching

Food Teachers Centre February 2022 News

Posted on by by
 
In this month’s e-newsletter we invite teachers to join us as we support you through this year’s exams.
–  We will be holding Exam Topic focused workshops as soon as they are released next week.  
 – Don’t miss our BUY ONE GET ONE FREE offer on our traning until Feb half term

–  Also this month, we bring you some great resources to engage with FIBRE FEBRUARY.

–  And we bring exciting launches of two new programmes

  • Kitchen Angels
  • Next Generation
Look forward to seeing you on-line again soon.
Launching Kitchen Angels
Kitchen Angels is a new initiative as part of our Facebook Accelerator programme.
From February to July 2022 we will be creating a structured volunteering programme that enables adults to assist in Food and Nutrition lessons in secondary schools.This initiative pilots and tests on a small scale a national volunteering programme, so that passionate foodies can assist in lessons. It will develop and test the systems, guidance and funding plan required to sustain it. It will raise the profile of successful food lessons for healthy young people. We will be looking for future funders to support the national roll out.
Our pilot areas are:
  1. Manchester Area (supported by Barbara Rathmill)
  2. NE / Tyneside area (supported by Jennifer Bruce)
  3. Sussex area (supported by Jill Oliver)
  4. SW / Devon area (supported by Joe Mann)
  5. London area (supported by Sharon Blunden and Adele Louise James)
If your school is in one of our 5 pilot areas, we invite you to express your interest via email info@foodteacherscentre.co.uk. Give your full school details.
We also invite you to join our (on-line) focus group on Thurs 3rd Feb at 4.30pm DETAILS HERE
You will have many questions and we look forward to seeing you there.
We will also record it so that you can catch up.
  
Launching Next Generation
Next Generation is a new initiative as part of our Facebook Accelerator programme.
This initiative is about the future development of the Food Teachers Centre Community group, and where its next leaders will come from. We are setting up a programme to nurture new community leaders and equip potential leaders with some essential skills, such as community management, fundraising, project management and curriculum innovation.  We will identify and nurture outstanding teachers and provide a unique personal development journey or ‘Passport’ with work-shadowing, mentoring and on-line learning.
We are looking for experienced teachers, who:
  • are passionate about food education and speak up for its value
    –
  • desire to pass on their knowledge and skills to others and support new teachers
  • and are wiling to devote time to learning new skills and their own personal development.
Why are we doing this?
In the past, career progression and leadership were possible for food and nutrition teachers via several routes, working from a local and regional level up to a national and international level. (Through lead practitioners, advanced skills leaders, local authority advisory teacher, teacher training leaders, and research and publications). These all provided valuable routes for leaders to emerge, become prepared with new skills and a national platform to share wisdom and best practice. Now these routes have disappeared, and national leadership is provided by the Food Teacher’s Centre’s senior team to help develop future curriculum models, pedagogy and examinations.
We are planning for the future. We wish to ensure that when our experienced volunteers retire that their successors have been trained effectively and have the skills needed to take on responsibilities, so that high-quality community activities continue, and new ones are developed.
What are the goals for this programme?
After coaching these teachers will progress from local school-based teachers to regional or national leaders (with an area of expertise), create and lead training of other teachers, attend meetings to represent the food teaching community, create new programmes that meet the needs of teachers and bid for funding from partners and grant making bodies and manage new projects. They will also play a significant role in the administration of the on-line group and Community. They will work alongside and shadow experienced community leaders.
Apply NOW
Max of 10 places this year. BY 28th Feb 2022 12.00.
We ask you to give us some details about yourself, we invite you to submit your thoughts about Food and Nutrition (via video or written statement) and to send us an example of a teaching resource that you have created.
Get Set for Fibre February 2022
It’s Fibre February!
In the UK, no age group is currently consuming the recommended amount of dietary fibre (on average), and in the vast majority of each age group, intakes are well below daily recommendations (15g/day 2-3 years, 20g/day 4-10 years, 25g/day 11-18 years, and 30g/day 19 years+). When you focus on school pupils, only 10% of 4-10 year olds and 4% of 11-18 year olds are eating the recommended amount of fibre – so there’s definitely room for improvement.
What can be done?
We all need to increase the amount of fibre in our diet, and follow the recommendations given in the Eatwell Guide. As food educators, it’s our job to encourage this uptake by ensuring lessons focus on fibre, so that pupils understand the ‘why’, and are given opportunities to ‘apply’ their knowledge in practical, realistic ways, such as reviewing menus, modifying recipes and cooking higher fibre dishes.
Get involved!
Below are a number of ways in which you and your pupils can be ‘fibre heroes’ this February. There’s a fibre ‘challenge’ as well as a range of resources to support learning. Let’s boost the fibre of the nation!
The Fibre February challenge!
Set your pupils the following challenge:
Most people in the UK are not having enough fibre in their diets. By making small changes to a recipe, such as swapping from white to wholemeal flour, the amount of fibre provided can be easily increased.
Your challenge
– Increase the fibre provided by a recipe, meal or menu.
 – Think about ingredients that can be added or swapped to increase fibre, such as using wholemeal flour, seeds, fruit, vegetables, beans, peas and lentils.
 Show your fibre creation by:
  • writing a recipe;
  • cooking the recipe;
  • undertaking nutritional analysis;
  • producing an animation;
  • showing the ‘fibre’ ingredients you’ve used, or;
  • making a presentation

Remember to show how the fibre has been increased!

You can get some inspiration from FabFlour, here.
Why not show the creativity of your pupils via Twitter? Follow us @FoodTCentre #FibreFebruary
Top tips for increasing fibre intake
  • Base meals around starchy carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, potatoes and other grains, such as quinoa or couscous.
  • Use wholemeal flour instead of white in recipes. Wholemeal flour provides more fibre than white flour, although white flour does still provide some fibre.
  • Swap refined or ‘white’ carbohydrate sources (e.g. bread, cereals, pasta) for wholegrain varieties.
  • Consume a variety of fruit and vegetables and aim for at least 5 A DAY.
  • Try to include more pulses, nuts and seeds in dishes by adding to stews, curries and salads.
  • Start your day with a higher fibre breakfast, including foods such as wholegrain cereals topped with dried or fresh fruit, wholemeal bread or whole fresh fruit.
 

EXAM PAPER TOPICS and REVISION 2022

As exam board release the exam topics on 7th Feb, this gives teachers an opportunity to prepare their candidates for the 2022 exam series. A series of on-line workshops are planned to cover each board and to help teachers work together and share ideas and approaches to the exam.
We have meetings for all boards.
 

AGENDA

  • Run through the list of exam board topics given – clarify the topics and what they mean for spring term teaching
  • Suggested resources and revision techniques
  • Exam preparation

 

MEETINGS

Mon 14th Feb 16:30pm AQA FPN
 Jill Oliver and Joe Mann, with Louise Davies
Weds 16th Feb 19.30pm EDUQAS FPN
Deborah Prigg, with Jill Oliver and Barbara Rathmill
Wed 23rd Feb 16:30pm AQA FPN
Jill Oliver and Joe Mann, with Louise Davies
Thurs 24th Feb 19.30pm EDUQAS FPN
Deborah Prigg, with Jill Oliver and Barbara Rathmill
Thurs 24th Feb 16.30pm OCR FPN
Judy Stevens Cook, with Jill Oliver and Barbara Rathmill
 
IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT – book our CATCHUP ticket instead and watch the recording at any time. Suggested donation £20 (this helps us pay for the costs of the meetings, plus our website and free newsletters)
 
**** PLEASE TAKE CARE TO BOOK THE RIGHT EXAM BOARD DATE  or you will be sent to the wrong meeting room****
Need Further Help?
If you have concerns about GCSE teaching, check the additional CPD support you can sign up for HERE:
  • NEA Together (STILL ONLY £20)
  • Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades
  • GCSE BOOST for grades 1-4
  • Top Marks Hospitality and Catering
 
Helping as many teachers as possible.
Enroll on one course and get another one free!
December 2021 until  18th Feb 2022
We have a wide range of on-line courses, from exam course support, to KS3 360,  Food Safety, Food Science and Technician Toolkit.
For all those who purchase a course* from December to February half term, we are offering a free 2nd course.  You can treat your technician, support another colleague, or extend your own knowledge. Once signed up, all our courses last for a full year. (*Excludes donation events).
 
250 school celebrate Alaska Seafood Month in January with free Salmon deliveries for cooking sessions
        
  
In a national first, cookery and nutrition students across england were lucky recipients of wild Alaska pink salmon to use in their classrooms, in a bid to improve their fish cookery skills.
 
The initiative is part of The Fish In Schools Hero programme which is run by the Food Teachers Centre, in partnership with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. Together they will deliver an unprecedented 20,000 fillets of wild Alaska salmon to schools for cookery students to prepare up and down the country.
The programme aims to ensure that every child gets a chance to prepare, cook and eat fish before they leave school. To support teachers, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and Food Teachers Centre have also developed sample lesson plans, a training workshop and video recipes by chef and former Masterchef winner Dhruv Baker. Both teachers and students are completing the online Alaska seafood training course which is a deep dive into the Alaskan fishing industry and the different species available from Alaska.  
Rebecca Wilson, Trade Director for Alaska Seafood in Northern Europe commented, “We are delighted to partner with the Food Teachers Centre for their Fish in Schools Hero Programme. We have been working with Fish In Schools Hero programme for over a year to get the Alaska salmon into students’ hands and we are pleased that students will finally get the opportunity to cook with it.”
Simon Gray, Senior Associate at the Food Teachers Centre said, “94% of our teachers surveyed in 2020 wanted their pupils to use different fish and not to be scared of trying something new, but less than half of them used fresh or frozen fish. This unique opportunity overcomes the obstacles teachers face with regards cost, sourcing fresh fish, and cooking skills in schools to introduce students to wild, sustainable, healthy and delicious fish. We’ve created training to build teachers’ confidence, recipes to make their lesson run smoothly and delivered high quality fish that schools will love to try. We are excited to see the difference this will make to young people in the future.”
Best wishes
from
Food Teachers Centre team
Volunteer Associates  and Ambassadors throughout the UK with a passion for ‘Better Food Teaching’.
The Food Teachers Centre is a place of:
 
  • creative and innovative ideas and action
  • practical solutions
  • learning and sharing

 

If your organisation or company would like to work with us – please do get in touch via our website or facebook page/facebook group
For more information Visit our Website
 
Posted in Cooking, Cooking skills, News, Newsletters, Teaching

Food Teachers Centre January 2022 News

Posted on by by
 
Hello ,
Welcome back to the start of the new year and new school term.
We know that due to the ever changing situation with C19, there are on-going challenges with NEA and preparation for this year’s assessment. Please rest assured that we keep OFQUAL updated with the impact that this is having on GCSE Food and other examinations. You will find some valuable advice below and some workshops coming up to help you through this year’s exam topics.
We have decided that we can help more of you by using a grant we have received, so that if you enroll on one course, we will give you another one free. You can use this to extend your own training,to give free training to your colleagues and support staff such as technicians. Our training is already FREE to trainee teachers. If you enrolled on a course in December, you are included in this offer. More information is here.
2022 will be a very exciting year for our Community as part of the 2021-22 Facebook Community Accelerator. This program helps leaders harness the power of their community to turn impactful ideas into action. ONLY 130 participants were selected across nine regions across the world out of thousands of applicants. We are 1 of only 10 groups in the UK.
We have started 3 innovative programmes to support our teachers, including a fantastic volunteer initiative to get more help in your classrooms called “Kitchen Angels”  and a support package for new teachers who need a lot more help teaching our subject called “Fly Higher”.  More news very soon!

 

 

 

  
 
Assessment Contingency Arrangements 2022
Assessment contingency arrangements… a viewpoint

Information on a Food Teachers contingency arrangements for students entering GCSEs in summer 2022 in an effort to support and help at these times given;

  • Schools and colleges should systematically collect evidence should a Teacher Assessed Grade (TAG) be needed in the future.
  • It is suggested that centres do three assessments over this year and assessments should, as much as possible, fit in with your planned assessment points.
  • Assessments should be done under exam conditions where possible.
  • Advance assessment content information will be published no later than 7 February 2022
Please watch the video in the Food Teachers Centre closed group where Joe Mann provides an overview of his approach HERE
GCSE Exam topics will be released 7th Feb 2022
Look out for our special on-line meetings (14th-25th Feb) to discuss how to prepare for the 2022 exams for AQA, EDUQAS and OCR.
This will take place shortly after the exam topics are released and will include:
  • Run through the list of exam board topics given – clarify the topics and what they mean for spring term teaching
  • Suggested resources and revision techniques
  • Exam preparation
If you have concerns about GCSE teaching, check the CPD support you can sign up for HERE:
  • NEA Together (STILL ONLY £20)
  • Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades
  • GCSE BOOST for grades 1-4
  • Top Marks Hospitality and Catering
 
Helping as many teachers as possible.
Enroll on one course and get another one free!
December 2021 until  18th Feb 2022
We have a wide range of on-line courses, from exam course support, to KS3 360,  Food Safety, Food Science and Technician Toolkit.
For all those who purchase a course* from December to February half term, we are offering a free 2nd course.  You can treat your technician, support another colleague, or extend your own knowledge. Once signed up, all our courses last for a full year. (*Excludes donation events).
HOW IT WORKS
This initiative is funded by Berridge Grant.
 
AQA Update GCSE Skills and recipes guidance
AQA UPDATE THEIR EXEMPLIFICATION FOR GCSE FPN PRACTICAL SKILLS/RECIPES LIST
As seen in our recent Community post – Many of you will be aware that we have been working with Frances Meek and Roy Ballam at British Nutrition Foundation conference and Jenny Ridgwell to make a case to update some of the GCSE skills lists that are used by exam boards. Some are a bit dated, not reflecting today’s diverse society, and encouraging too many high fat/sugar recipes.

We are pleased to say that AQA have been the first board to respond positively . They have

  • Reduced the number of high fat/sugar dishes (Millionaire shortbread was cited from the AQA spec.).
  • Included more culturally diverse food/foods from around the word.
  • Included more plant-based dishes.
The new AQA lists can be found at:
AQA | GCSE | Food Preparation and Nutrition | Assessment resources
Notes and guidance: Skill levels in food preparation

We are really pleased that the community has been listened too, and thank all AQA staff and examiners for keeping the GCSE modern and relevant.

     
CLEAPSS is still our recommended source of advice and guidance
With continued uncertainty and restrictions due to COVID 19, we recommend that you continue to follow the previous advice and guidance given by CLEAPSS. Please check their website here
Funding for teacher training
If you are wanting to become a qualified teacher, OR you are looking to do a Masters or further training to aid your teaching, scholarship grants for individuals are made by the All Saints Educational Trust. Please have a look at the website to register your interest and get application forms.
PLEASE FILL IN OUR FOOD TEACHING SURVEY!
Schools doing GCSE survey LINK here
Schools doing VOCATIONAL courses survey LINK here
To gain the support of  DfE and funders to bring you more support, resources and programmes, we often need to provide factual information about the isues that teachers face. We also need to prove that what we do is effective, so this survey will give us valuable insights and statistics.
There are 30 questions, taking about 15 minutes, so we do appreciate your time in filling it in.
CLICK BELOW FOR YOUR SURVEY
                            
INSPIRING PRESENTATIONS TO PUSH AQA STUDENTS TAKING THIS YEAR’S NEA
THESE VIDEOS BY PROFESSIONAL NUTRITIONISTS CAN BE USED:
  • as part of primary and seocndary research on needs of individuals,
  • during the trials phase to evaluate the best choice of recipes to meet needs,
  • as the students evaluate their final dishes against needs.
We ask for a small donation to access the recordings here. 
Donations are used to help us fund the website and newsletter.
                  
Our Resource Bank has moved – more new features!
Tunnocks Teacake Challenge 2021-22
Closing date 29th April
Tunnocks Teacake Challenge 2021-22  – Natural World Theme
This is a great challenge to set for one-off lessons, home learning and remote learning.
 
This year’s theme for the Tunnocls Teacake Food presentation challenge is NATURAL WORLD, with a focus on embracing diversity, sustainability and healthy eating.
Teachers enter a high quality photo of the student’s plate and entry form details. You can run a school wide competition and then submit school winners for each category. Categories are – under 14, 14+ and most novel . Check Food Teacher’s Centre Tunnock’s Teacake Challenge group for details and teaching resources.
 
10,000 students to receive Alaska Salmon in January! WOW!
Want to take part next time? REGISTER HERE
Have you discovered the GUIDES section in our group?
Check our new Guides for: 5 minute Guide to OFSTED DEPP DIVE, Open Evenings, Competitions and Awards… and much more……
And FREE support if you are ‘New to teaching KS3, GCSE, H&C or Home Cooking Skills’.
 

 

Our on-line training is different!

 
The Food Teachers Centre has revolutionised CPD for food teachers!
Previously you would have signed up for a day face to face course, or an online webinar for an hour or so. But we believe that CPD should be Continuous Professional Development.
Now….
  • you sign up for a full year of training and support in an online training room – for ONE PRICE unlimited access
  • you do not need time off school, or to travel and prices are affordable
  • equivalent of 3-4 days traditional training
  • available 24-7 via mobile, tablet or computer
  • move on at your own pace, start and stop as you need to
  • content is in small bite-size chunks so that you can improve your teaching step by step
  • plan your own learning journey, suitable for very experienced and new teachers, and everyone in between!
  • easy tracking so that you can restart where you left off
  • regular live video presentations and drop -in sessions with tutors and guest speakers on current topics to stay up to date
*Offer excludes donation events.

 

We have a very wide range of courses to suit what current food teachers need.

 
360⁰ KS3 FOOD Training is a comprehensive training course to support those teaching FOOD at 11 – 14 years (KS3). Start any time, access for one year unlimited. More information
Food Science training course presents a comprehensive set of learning units to help you teach food science effectively in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition.  It provides strategies to incorporate food science as a way of improving the quality of food teaching. More information.
              
GCSE BOOST focuses on how to support lower ability learners and improve their performance in GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. It provides intervention strategies and ideas that you can implement immediately with Y10 and Y11. We cover all boards AQA, EDUQAS and OCR. More information
Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades course combines professional tailor-made teacher CPD training on how to teach for higher grades through a series of video resources and recipes leading students through all the food preparation and cooking techniques required for higher NEA2 assessment grades for GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. More information
NEA TOGETHER training course has numerous presentations, resources, and tips on how to prepare yourself and candidates for NEA, how to carry it out, and mark and moderate NEA, and how to use marking of NEA to improve your teaching next year. It also has a section for revision strategies and techniques for the written paper, with tips from examiners to improve your results and how to teach exam command words and higher mark questions. Throughout the year this training room is supported by network meetings, timed to co-incide with key NEA dates such as NEA task release, marking deadlines. More information Excluded from Buy One Get One Free offer
Top Marks Hospitality and Catering (WJEC) course allows you to work alongside experienced teacher practitioners who guide you through how they have successfully planned and taught the WJEC L1-2 H&C course, how they have addressed issues and gained excellent performance from their students. More information
BTEC Home Cooking Skills course guides you through how to successfully plan, teach and assess Pearson BTEC L1-2 Home Cooking Skills More information
 
Food Allergens in Classrooms-On Line Training course is designed to provide a one stop shop for up to date information and support to make sure your departmental health and safety documentation is up to date. More information
Food Safety in Classrooms is the only course designed specifically for food teachers and is taught by food teachers and that includes BOTH the award of Level 2 Food Safety and accreditation for the nationally recognised FSA/Gov framework for food teaching standards. It is designed for all who teach and support in food activities in school, this includes teachers, technicians, teaching assistants / higher-level teaching assistants, trainee teachers, special needs support staff and cookery club leaders.
Group rates are possible.
One day training by arrangement. More information
Food Technicians and Support Staff Training and Toolkit
Good Technicians are worth their weight in gold – keep up to date, motivated and valued by joining On-Line training with like-minded technicians to learn, develop and enthuse.  This is interactive training, providing the skills and resources for secondary schools, with opportunities for discussion, and led by highly experienced food teachers. More information
Currently all our training courses are on line due to C19.
Posted in News, Newsletters, Teaching

Food Teachers Centre December 2021 News

Posted on by by
 
Hello ,
As we approach the end of term, it gives us a chance to look back on what the community has achieved this year:
  • 7,800 teachers visiting our on-line community daily for professional support, advice and inspiration
  • 12,000+ followers and newsletter subscribers
  • 2078 teachers have taken part in our on line training programmes throughout 2020
  • 1600 doing practical skills courses with us
  • More than 300 teachers accessing training for a small donation or less than £20
  • 150 trainee teachers accessing free training courses and mentoring.
In our last newsletter we were proud to share that we’ve been selected to participate in the 2021-22 Facebook Community Accelerator, a program that helps leaders harness the power of their community to turn impactful ideas into action.
130 participants across nine regions across the world have been selected to participate. We are 1 of only 10 groups in the UK.
In 2022, we will begin 3 innovative programmes to support our teachers and we look forward to telling you all about them in the New Year, when we have all taken a well deserved Winter break and holiday.

 

 

 

  
 
Funding for teacher training
If you are wanting to become a qualified teacher, OR you are looking to do a Masters or further training to aid your teaching, scholarship grants for individuals are made by the All Saints Educational Trust. Please have a look at the website to register your interest and get application forms.
Advice on Cake Bake Sales
Food supplied, sold or provided at charity or community events, such as street parties, school fetes or fundraisers, must comply with food law and be safe to eat. 
If you handle, prepare, store and serve food occasionally and on a small scale, you do not need to register.
From 1st October 2021, new allergen labelling requirements were applied to a category of food called prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) known as Natasha’s Law. 14 Allergens
PPDS food is food that is packed on the same site as which it is sold (this includes mobile premises used by the same business) before the customer orders it.
Cakes
You can serve home-made cakes at community events. They should be safe to eat if:
  • a recipe from a reputable source is used
  • the people who make them follow good food
    hygiene advice
  • the cakes are stored and transported safely
Making and transporting cakes
If you make a cake at home:
  • use recipes from reputable sources
  • always wash your hands before preparing food
  • make sure that surfaces, bowls, utensils, and
    any other equipment are clean
  • don’t use raw eggs in anything that won’t be
    thoroughly cooked, such as icing or mousse
  • keep cheesecakes and any cakes or desserts
    containing fresh cream in the fridge
  • store cakes in a clean, sealable container,
    away from raw foods
On the day, when you bring in cakes from home or run the stall, you should:
  • transport cakes in a clean, sealable container
  • make sure that cheesecake and any cakes or
    desserts containing fresh cream are left out of the fridge for the
    shortest time possible, ideally not longer than 4 hours
  • when handling cakes use tongs or a cake slice
Storing cakes 
You can keep cakes and baked goods with high sugar content in:
  • airtight containers – this will prevent mould
    growth through absorption of moisture from the atmosphere
  • the fridge – cakes will last for longer,
    but their quality may be affected
Any cakes with high moisture additions, such as cream added after baking, should not be left at room temperature. They must be stored chilled (in the fridge) and eaten within the use-by date of the added product.
There are some types of icing, such as ganache and buttercream, that can be kept outside the fridge. It’s best to store them somewhere cool and dry. Check the guidelines for storage of the particular icing product you will be using.
OFQUAL exam topics will be released 7th Feb 2022
Look out for our special on-line meetings to discuss how to prepare for the 2022 exams for AQA, EDUQAS, OCR and WJEC H&C.
This will take place shortly after the exam topics are released and will include:
  • Run through the list of exam board topics given – clarify the topics and what they mean for spring term teaching
  • Suggested resources and revision techniques
  • Exam preparation
If you have concerns about GCSE teaching, check the CPD support you can sign up for HERE:
  • NEA Together (STILL ONLY £20)
  • Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades
  • GCSE BOOST for grades 1-4
  • Top Marks Hospitality and Catering
 
PLEASE FILL IN OUR FOOD TEACHING SURVEY!
Schools doing GCSE survey LINK here
Schools doing VOCATIONAL courses survey LINK here
To gain the support of  DfE and funders to bring you more support, resources and programmes, we often need to provide factual information about the isues that teachers face. We also need to prove that what we do is effective, so this survey will give us valuable insights and statistics.
There are 30 questions, taking about 15 minutes, so we do appreciate your time in filling it in.
CLICK BELOW FOR YOUR SURVEY
                            
NUTRITION SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
It does not matter which stage of assessment your students are at, these recorded presentations will be super-useful.
 
We recorded two presentations by professional nutritionists. One for cardiovascular health and the other for children’s healthy eating.
You can use these recordings to support NEA and gain extra marks, for example:
  • as part of primary and seocndary research on needs of individuals,
  • during the trials phase to evaluate the best choice of recipes to meet needs,
  • as the students evaluate their final dishes against needs.
We ask for a small donation to access the recordings here. 
Donations are used to help us fund the website and newsletter.
                  
Other great features
Whilst this presentation is aimed at Y11 students, we are happy for Y10, or other exam courses such as Health and Social Care, Y12-13 Food Science and Nutrition to join as well (if there is capacity) or make use of the recording.
You can also use this video to support options evenings. It will bring to life the work on professional nutritionists and showcase many interesting career opportunities and pathways available.
Our Resource Bank has moved – more new features!
Tunnocks Teacake Challenge 2021-22
Tunnocks Teacake Challenge 2021-22  – Natural World Theme
 
Tunnock’s have very kindly offered to sponsor a Challenge again this year. This will be launched in the Facebook group the next few days.  We ran a poll to give you the opportunity members to vote for a theme. There was an outright favourite in the theme of NATURAL WORLD.
This will focus on embracing diversity, sustainability and healthy eating.
Teachers will be asked to enter a high quality photo of the student’s plate and entry form details. You may wish to run an  internal competition and submit school winners for each category. Categories are – under 14, 14+ and most novel . Check Food Teacher’s Centre Tunnock’s Teacake Challenge group for more details shortly.
 
Mussel Power in 200 schools as 2 tonnes of mussels are delivered in November.
Want to take part next time? REGISTER HERE
“Can we order two tonnes of mussels please, and could you deliver them to 200 schools? We know that delivery might be quite tricky right now, but any chance?” 
 
This was the request that Simon Gray put to the fish industry.  He was overwhelmed with the positive response and ‘can do’ approach.
 
“Mussels are one of the most under-utilised shellfish in this country, so we are getting young people to try them in the safe, positive environment of their food and nutrition lessons.  This would not have been possible without the amazing industry partners offering to support this so that there is no cost to schools. Schools are super excited and hugely grateful for Sarah’s (Offshore Shellfish) generous gift and in awe of the logistical processing and delivery challenges navigated so expertly by Matt and Pat (Fowey Shellfish, and M&J Seafood).”  
Offshore Shellfish kindly donated 2 tonnes of grade ‘A’ rope grown mussels.
Sarah Holmyard, (Head of Sales and Marketing):
“We are delighted to support the Fish in School Heroes programme by supplying our mussels for thousands of school children to try. It is so important for children to have access to foods they may not otherwise try and be the next generation of seafood enthusiasts. Mussels are so quick and simple to cook, are great for you, and great for the environment so are perfect for the children to try”.
To take part next time  please register here.
NB. You have to be in the UK and a Food Teachers centre member to be considered to receive fish.
 
Have you discovered the GUIDES section in our group?
Check our new Guides for Festive Fare, 5 minute Guide to OFSTED DEPP DIVE, Open Evenings, Competitions and Awards… and much more……
And FREE support if you are ‘New to teaching KS3, GCSE, H&C or Home Cooking Skills’.
 

 

Our on-line training is different!

 
The Food Teachers Centre has revolutionised CPD for food teachers!
Previously you would have signed up for a day face to face course, or an online webinar for an hour or so. But we believe that CPD should be Continuous Professional Development.
Now….
  • you sign up for a full year of training and support in an online training room – for ONE PRICE unlimited access
  • you do not need time off school, or to travel and prices are affordable
  • equivalent of 3-4 days traditional training
  • available 24-7 via mobile, tablet or computer
  • move on at your own pace, start and stop as you need to
  • content is in small bite-size chunks so that you can improve your teaching step by step
  • plan your own learning journey, suitable for very experienced and new teachers, and everyone in between!
  • easy tracking so that you can restart where you left off
  • regular live video presentations and drop -in sessions with tutors and guest speakers on current topics to stay up to date

 

We have a very wide range of courses to suit what current food teachers need.

 
360⁰ KS3 FOOD Training is a comprehensive training course to support those teaching FOOD at 11 – 14 years (KS3). Start any time, access for one year unlimited. More information
Food Science training course presents a comprehensive set of learning units to help you teach food science effectively in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition.  It provides strategies to incorporate food science as a way of improving the quality of food teaching. More information.
              
GCSE BOOST focuses on how to support lower ability learners and improve their performance in GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. It provides intervention strategies and ideas that you can implement immediately with Y10 and Y11. We cover all boards AQA, EDUQAS and OCR. More information
Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades course combines professional tailor-made teacher CPD training on how to teach for higher grades through a series of video resources and recipes leading students through all the food preparation and cooking techniques required for higher NEA2 assessment grades for GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. More information
NEA TOGETHER training course has numerous presentations, resources, and tips on how to prepare yourself and candidates for NEA, how to carry it out, and mark and moderate NEA, and how to use marking of NEA to improve your teaching next year. It also has a section for revision strategies and techniques for the written paper, with tips from examiners to improve your results and how to teach exam command words and higher mark questions. Throughout the year this training room is supported by network meetings, timed to co-incide with key NEA dates such as NEA task release, marking deadlines. More information
Top Marks Hospitality and Catering (WJEC) course allows you to work alongside experienced teacher practitioners who guide you through how they have successfully planned and taught the WJEC L1-2 H&C course, how they have addressed issues and gained excellent performance from their students. More information
BTEC Home Cooking Skills course guides you through how to successfully plan, teach and assess Pearson BTEC L1-2 Home Cooking Skills More information
 
Food Allergens in Classrooms-On Line Training course is designed to provide a one stop shop for up to date information and support to make sure your departmental health and safety documentation is up to date. More information
Food Safety in Classrooms is the only course designed specifically for food teachers and is taught by food teachers and that includes BOTH the award of Level 2 Food Safety and accreditation for the nationally recognised FSA/Gov framework for food teaching standards. It is designed for all who teach and support in food activities in school, this includes teachers, technicians, teaching assistants / higher-level teaching assistants, trainee teachers, special needs support staff and cookery club leaders.
Group rates are possible.
One day training by arrangement. More information
Food Technicians and Support Staff Training and Toolkit
Good Technicians are worth their weight in gold – keep up to date, motivated and valued by joining On-Line training with like-minded technicians to learn, develop and enthuse.  This is interactive training, providing the skills and resources for secondary schools, with opportunities for discussion, and led by highly experienced food teachers. More information
Currently all our training courses are on line due to C19.
Posted in News, Newsletters, Teaching

Food Teachers Centre September 2021 News

Posted on by by
 
Food Teachers Centre
September 2021 News
Hello ,
Watch this food teaching community grow with great times ahead!
We are proud to share that we’ve been selected to participate in the 2021-22 Facebook Community Accelerator, a program that helps leaders harness the power of their community to turn impactful ideas into action. 130 participants across nine regions across the world have been selected to participate. We are 1 of only 10 groups in the UK.
We’re excited for the opportunity to learn, grow and scale our impact! Check out the entire handpicked cohort here.
I am personally enormously proud to have been chosen by Facebook to take part in the Accelerator programme. It is recognition for how successful our community is in providing for the needs of teachers. It will give us the opportunity to do new things that are desperately needed and secure a great future for the group. The past 8 years since we created the group have been exciting and hard work, our success is due to EVERYONE in it – the kindness and generosity that you show in helping others each day. But I also pay tribute to the tireless team that work behind the scenes, keeping the advice high quality, providing worthwhile events and training, giving up their time to attend meetings to be that national voice for you and relentlessly seeking new opportunities and partners to get the help we all need in our classrooms.
We have many plans, we now have the support of the global Facebook team, and anything is possible – how good does that feel as we emerge out of the tough 2 years? This gives us hope and help, so much to look forward to. We are keen to know how we can help you best and will do regular updates. In the meantime, celebrate with us, being part of this fantastic community
And
Watch this space

 

 

 

  

 
 
OFQUAL ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR 2022
If you have concerns about GCSE teaching, check the CPD support you can sign up for HERE:
  • NEA Together (STILL ONLY £20)
  • Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades
  • GCSE BOOST for grades 1-4
 
1. OFQUAL published the analysis and decisions documents following joint consultation with DfE on proposed changes to assessment  2022.
 
It has been agreed to release in advance topics for the summer 2022 exams on 7th Feb, by each exam board.
 
They ask you what you want to happen if there are no exams again next year (last resort) – Do you want the same system as they year?
The consultation will close on 13 October and we would encourage you to respond formally.
 
3. OFQUAL previously announced NEA 2021-22 ARRANGEMENTS  
  • Remove
    NEA1 and permit an earlier release of NEA2. As a consequence, students
    might not be able to demonstrate all of the skills and techniques listed
    in the subject content.
  • To
    reduce the requirements for NEA2 to 2 dishes to be completed within 3
    hours to allow for students to use complex processes such as baking,
    lamination, making ice-cream and to accommodate public health
    restrictions.
PLEASE FILL IN OUR RESULTS SURVEY!
GCSE EXAM Results survey LINK here
VOCATIONAL Course Exam Results survey LINK here
The Community has been going for 8 years and developed successfully beyond anything we ever imagined.  But our success is anecdotal taken from what you tell us and some evaluation evidence of our events.  As a team of unpaid volunteers we want to make sure that the community continues to be what teachers need.  To do so, we would like your feedback.  In addition, so that we can gain the support of others and bring you more programmes and resources, we often need to prove that what we do is effective for teachers, so this survey will give us valuable insights and statistics to take to partners.
No school or teacher will be identified from any information or comments.  Your personal information will be kept securely.
There are 30 questions, taking about 15 minutes, so we do appreciate your time in filling it in.
CLICK BELOW FOR YOUR SURVEY
 
 
NUTRITION SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
There are two presentations in November for students (VIA THEIR TEACHERS), with professional nutritionists. One for cardiovascular health and the other for children’s healthy eating.
We ask for a donation to attend…….
Or to get a copy of the video as it’s also recorded!
Thurs 4th Nov 12-1pm   
Cardiovascular  Heart Health with Sarah Lyster, RNutr.
More information on Facebook  and booking link is here. 
 
Thurs 18th Nov 12-1pm  
Healthy Eating for Young Children with Zoe Griffiths, RNutr.
More information on Facebook  and booking link is here. 
                  
 
A one-hour live presentation, with Q&A by a professional nutritionist. Teachers can join from their classroom or opt for recording to use.
  • Capacity for 100 classes to join us live from the classroom (Students can only join through their teacher)
  • Recorded so that ANY class can catch up at any time, reaching 30,000 students

We hope that this helps Y11 by:

  • Giving them the opportunity for more engaging primary and secondary research,
  • Providing accessible, relevant, and up to date information,
  • Clarifying and exploring healthy eating guidelines for young children  and cardiovascular health isues to bring assessment to life
  • Encouraging them to apply to what they find out in the choice of appropriate dishes improving their marks.
  • We encourage your students to prepare questions in advance, and submit them to us, as there will be a substantial Q&A section.
Agenda
  • What is a Nutritionist? (5 mins)
  • (4th Nov) Heart Health OR (18th Nov) Healthy Eating Guidelines for Young Children (15 mins)
  • Q&A (30 mins)
  • Summing up – important areas to consider (5 mins)
 
Other great features
Whilst this presentation is aimed at Y11 students, we are happy for Y10, or other exam courses such as Health and Social Care, Y12-13 Food Science and Nutrition to join as well (if there is capacity) or make use of the recording.
You can also use this video to support options evenings. It will bring to life the work on professional nutritionists and showcase many interesting career opportunities and pathways available.
This event has been made possible by kind donations from the Food Teachers Centre group, but we welcome further donations to our fundraiser, so that we can host more events such as these.
Our Resource Bank is moving – more new features!
The Resource Bank is moving and updating
 
1.      What is the Resource Bank?
These are Facebook files uploaded and categorised in Cloud Storage to make topics easier to find. You can also access from school (where Facebook is blocked for example).
2.      What Cloud storage do we use?
 
a) Dropbox  – In the past we have used Dropbox with 2GB of free storage. Now, the Resource Bank is bigger than 2GB you would have to purchase an annual Dropbox subscription, but then you can store up to 2TB for about £90. This is a great facility as it means you can save securely AND access all of your documents, pictures etc. on any device from anywhere with WIFI.  And if your computer is broken, lost or stolen, everything is safe.
b ) Google Drive – if you do not want to subscribe to Dropbox, don’t worry, you can access the SAME Resource Bank on Google Drive, with up to 15GB free storage.
3.      How do I register for this year?
We will not be uploading anymore files to the old location, so you need to re-register for the new Resource Bank .
4.      What if I don’t want to register for this?
No problem, you can find shared files in the Facebook group and you can create your own archive of the ones you want.
5.      How do I add my files to the Resource Bank?
Please upload to the Facebook group, or send it to Suzanne Gray HERE. What is really helpful, is if the file is given a name which indicates the content, exam board and year group.
Tunnocks Teacake Challenge 2021-22
Tunnocks Teacake Challenge 2021-22  – Natural World Theme
 
Tunnock’s have very kindly offered to sponsor a Challenge again this year. This will be launched in the Facebook group the next few days.  We ran a poll to give you the opportunity members to vote for a theme. There was an outright favourite in the theme of NATURAL WORLD.
This will focus on embracing diversity, sustainability and healthy eating.
Teachers will be asked to enter a high quality photo of the student’s plate and entry form details. You may wish to run an  internal competition and submit school winners for each category. Categories are – under 14, 14+ and most novel . Check Food Teacher’s Centre Tunnock’s Teacake Challenge group for more details shortly.
 
Are you registered for our FREE FISH HERO programme?
As we start the third year, we are super pleased to announce continued support from our funders (Fishmonger’s Charitable Trust). They have been very excited to see how schools have increased the amount of fish being taught and tried by students. They were hugely grateful for us transforming the face to face training into on-line workshops during C19, as these exceeded all planned attendance and meant many more schools were involved than previously planned.
As a result of this success, we can continue to provide you with support via our on-line training room. All schools requesting to join the on-line training can be accommodated.
In addition, this year we will have some limited opportunities for some schools to receive and use fish supplied directly as we continue to test the best way to get fish into schools. The logistics with the current delivery driver shortage and Brexit issues have made this enormously challenging.  You may have seen already that we have been testing sending FREE Salmon, Mussels and other sustainable fish into our schools. We may also be able to run a student masterclass in your school.
NB. You have to be in the UK and a Food Teachers centre member to be considered to receive fish.
 
Coming soon!
 
Have you discovered the GUIDES section in our group?
Check our new Guides for Open Evenings, Black History Month, Competitions and Awards… and much more……
And FREE support if you are ‘New to teaching KS3, GCSE, H&C or Home Cooking Skills’.
 

 

Our on-line training is different!

 
The Food Teachers Centre has revolutionised CPD for food teachers!
Previously you would have signed up for a day face to face course, or an online webinar for an hour or so. But we believe that CPD should be Continuous Professional Development.
Now….
  • you sign up for a full year of training and support in an online training room – for ONE PRICE unlimited access
  • you do not need time off school, or to travel and prices are affordable
  • equivalent of 3-4 days traditional training
  • available 24-7 via mobile, tablet or computer
  • move on at your own pace, start and stop as you need to
  • content is in small bite-size chunks so that you can improve your teaching step by step
  • plan your own learning journey, suitable for very experienced and new teachers, and everyone in between!
  • easy tracking so that you can restart where you left off
  • regular live video presentations and drop -in sessions with tutors and guest speakers on current topics to stay up to date

 

We have a very wide range of courses to suit what current food teachers need.

 
360⁰ KS3 FOOD Training is a comprehensive training course to support those teaching FOOD at 11 – 14 years (KS3). Start any time, access for one year unlimited. More information
Food Science training course presents a comprehensive set of learning units to help you teach food science effectively in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition.  It provides strategies to incorporate food science as a way of improving the quality of food teaching. More information.
              
GCSE BOOST focuses on how to support lower ability learners and improve their performance in GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. It provides intervention strategies and ideas that you can implement immediately with Y10 and Y11. We cover all boards AQA, EDUQAS and OCR. More information
Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades course combines professional tailor-made teacher CPD training on how to teach for higher grades through a series of video resources and recipes leading students through all the food preparation and cooking techniques required for higher NEA2 assessment grades for GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. More information
NEA TOGETHER training course has numerous presentations, resources, and tips on how to prepare yourself and candidates for NEA, how to carry it out, and mark and moderate NEA, and how to use marking of NEA to improve your teaching next year. It also has a section for revision strategies and techniques for the written paper, with tips from examiners to improve your results and how to teach exam command words and higher mark questions. Throughout the year this training room is supported by network meetings, timed to co-incide with key NEA dates such as NEA task release, marking deadlines. More information
Top Marks Hospitality and Catering (WJEC) course allows you to work alongside experienced teacher practitioners who guide you through how they have successfully planned and taught the WJEC L1-2 H&C course, how they have addressed issues and gained excellent performance from their students. More information
BTEC Home Cooking Skills course guides you through how to successfully plan, teach and assess Pearson BTEC L1-2 Home Cooking Skills More information
 
Food Allergens in Classrooms-On Line Training course is designed to provide a one stop shop for up to date information and support to make sure your departmental health and safety documentation is up to date. More information
Food Safety in Classrooms is the only course designed specifically for food teachers and is taught by food teachers and that includes BOTH the award of Level 2 Food Safety and accreditation for the nationally recognised FSA/Gov framework for food teaching standards. It is designed for all who teach and support in food activities in school, this includes teachers, technicians, teaching assistants / higher-level teaching assistants, trainee teachers, special needs support staff and cookery club leaders.
Group rates are possible.
One day training by arrangement. More information
Food Technicians and Support Staff Training and Toolkit
Good Technicians are worth their weight in gold – keep up to date, motivated and valued by joining On-Line training with like-minded technicians to learn, develop and enthuse.  This is interactive training, providing the skills and resources for secondary schools, with opportunities for discussion, and led by highly experienced food teachers. More information
Currently all our training courses are on line due to C19.
Best wishes
from
Food Teachers Centre team
Volunteer Associates  and Ambassadors throughout the UK with a passion for ‘Better Food Teaching’.
The Food Teachers Centre is a place of:
 
  • creative and innovative ideas and action
  • practical solutions
  • learning and sharing

 

If your organisation or company would like to work with us – please do get in touch via our website or facebook page/facebook group
For more information Visit our Website
 
Posted in Cooking, Cooking skills, News, Newsletters, Teaching

Food Teachers Centre GCSE Results August ’21

Posted on by by
 
GCSE Results
August ’21
Hello ,
 
Just a quick update on GCSE RESULTS on Results Day.
We are not ignoring the Vocational qualifications, but the analysis is not provided by OFQUAL in the same way and will be published by WJEC.
HEARTFELT THANKS for EVERYTHING YOU HAVE ALL DONE THIS YEAR.
As fellow food teachers really appreciate your efforts to deliver GCSE this year. It has been an absolutely exhausting and challenging process and the team here would like to thank each and every one of you. THANK YOU.
OFQUAL ANNOUNCES GCSE NEA ARRANGEMENTS (ENGLAND)
They are carrying forward 2021 contingency plans for NEA due to disruption caused by C19. NOTE these are temporary arrangements and are not permanent changes to the assessment process.
DECISIONS GCSE food preparation and nutrition NEA HERE
  • Remove NEA1 and permit an earlier release of NEA2. As a consequence, students might not be able to demonstrate all of the skills and techniques listed in the subject content.
  • To reduce the requirements for NEA2 to 2 dishes to be completed within 3 hours to allow for students to use complex processes such as baking, lamination, making ice-cream and to accommodate public health restrictions.

 

 

 

 

  
 
 
GCSE HEADLINES
GCSE entries UP from 45,000 to 48,000.
 
This is great news for our subject!
 
National Average (pass) is now 77.5%
Girls outperform boys by 16.6%
 
If you have concerns about GCSE teaching check the CPD support we can give below:
  • NEA Together (STILL ONLY £20)
  • Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades
  • GCSE BOOST for grades 1-4
WHAT OFQUAL’s NEA CHANGES in 2022 ONLY MEAN FOR YOUR TEACHING YEAR 10 and YEAR11
Y11: We expect NEA 2 tasks to be released on 1st September 2021 for assessment summer 2022. (Normally 1st Nov). NEA 2 will count for 50% of marks and written paper for 50%.

 

Y 11: You will NOT need to carry out NEA 1 Food Science assessment task, however, you will still need to teach the food science content for the written paper, and we recommend that you do this is a practical way – this help embed learning and students will perform better in the exam paper. For example, when you are teaching yeast doughs to prepare for NEA2, we recommend that you still carry out the investigation to show the ideal conditions for yeast to ferment and use this as an opportunity to explain the science of the dough rising. For example, when you are teaching how to prepare fresh fruits, we recommend that you still show students how to prevent enzymic browning and explain the science behind this.
Y11: In recognition of the practical time that students have missed they will only need to prepare 2 dishes in the final 3-hour practical exam and mark schemes are adjusted for this. We recommend that you talk to your SLT about scheduling mock and final practical tests , with contingency plans in place in case of continued school closures in the autumn. The NEA2 practical assessment dates should be recognised as a formal exam and be included in the School Exam Diary and information sent to parents.
Y10: Will need to be prepared for NEA 1 and NEA 2 as normal.
For queries about requirements for technical skills during development dishes (for AQA) you are advised to contact your NEA adviser allocated to your centre or refer to the guidance for 2021.
For all boards – Do check your own exam board website regularly. Most allow you to sign up to updates on their website.
What about the written paper summer 2022?
This consultation and decision is about NEA (as this was urgent to get sorted), the government are already in discussion about adjustments to written papers. We will get more information in due course.
What about vocational courses?
Until we hear otherwise about vocational courses, assume that you should prepare for assessments as normal, and check regularly with your exam board.  There are a great number of different vocational exams and it is not possible for OFQUAL to present a single answer as for GCSE.
What about Wales and other locations?
Do check with your own exam board. Most allow you to sign up to updates on their website.

 
New to teaching KS3, GCSE, H&C or Home Cooking Skills? 
If you are new to teaching KS3, GCSE, H&C, Home Cooking Skills..……
Recordings were made of our July on-line meetings for all those who will be beginning teaching these courses in September to offer you support and guidance on getting ready for the new school year.  These meetings are led by Food Teachers Centre Community volunteers. And are stored in the group under GUIDES, including
  • New to KS3
  • New to GCSE
  • New to H&C
  • New to Home Cooking Skills
More information under GUIDES tab in the group.
 

 

Our on-line training is different!

 
The Food Teachers Centre has revolutionised CPD for food teachers!
Previously you would have signed up for a day face to face course, or an online webinar for an hour or so. But we believe that CPD should be Continuous Professional Development.
Now….
  • you sign up for a full year of training and support in an online training room – for ONE PRICE unlimited access
  • you do not need time off school, or to travel
  • prices are affordable for schools
  • provides the equivalent of 3-4 days traditional training
  • available 24-7 via mobile, tablet or computer from your Facebook account
  • move on at your own pace, start and stop as you need to
  • content is in small bite-size chunks so that you can improve your teaching step by step
  • flexible units to plan your own learning journey, suitable for very experienced and new teachers, and everyone in between!
  • easy tracking that automatically notes your progress over the course, so that you can restart where you left off when you return
  • regular live video presentations and drop -in sessions with tutors and guest speakers on current topics to stay up to date

 

We have a very wide range of courses to suit what current food teachers need.

 
360⁰ KS3 FOOD Training is a comprehensive training course to support those teaching FOOD at 11 – 14 years (KS3). Start any time, access for one year unlimited. More information
Food Science training course presents a comprehensive set of learning units to help you teach food science effectively in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition.  It provides strategies to incorporate food science as a way of improving the quality of food teaching. More information.
              
GCSE BOOST focuses on how to support lower ability learners and improve their performance in GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. It provides intervention strategies and ideas that you can implement immediately with Y10 and Y11. We cover all boards AQA, EDUQAS and OCR. More information
Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades course combines professional tailor-made teacher CPD training on how to teach for higher grades through a series of video resources and recipes leading students through all the food preparation and cooking techniques required for higher NEA2 assessment grades for GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. More information
NEA TOGETHER training course has numerous presentations, resources, and tips on how to prepare yourself and candidates for NEA, how to carry it out, and mark and moderate NEA, and how to use marking of NEA to improve your teaching next year. It also has a section for revision strategies and techniques for the written paper, with tips from examiners to improve your results and how to teach exam command words and higher mark questions. Throughout the yar this training room is supported by network meetings, timed to co-incide with key NEA dates such as NEA task release, marking deadlines. More information
Top Marks Hospitality and Catering (WJEC) course allows you to work alongside experienced teacher practitioners who guide you through how they have successfully planned and taught the WJEC L1-2 H&C course, how they have addressed issues and gained excellent performance from their students. More information
BTEC Home Cooking Skills course guides you through how to successfully plan, teach and assess Pearson BTEC L1-2 Home Cooking Skills More information
 
Food Allergens in Classrooms-On Line Training course is designed to provide a one stop shop for up to date information and support to make sure your departmental health and safety documentation is up to date. More information
Food Safety in Classrooms is the only course designed specifically for food teachers and is taught by food teachers and that includes BOTH the award of Level 2 Food Safety and accreditation for the nationally recognised FSA/Gov framework for food teaching standards. It is designed for all who teach and support in food activities in school, this includes teachers, technicians, teaching assistants / higher-level teaching assistants, trainee teachers, special needs support staff and cookery club leaders.
Group rates are possible.
One day training by arrangement. More information
Food Technicians and Support Staff Training and Toolkit
Good Technicians are worth their weight in gold – keep up to date, motivated and valued by joining On-Line training with like-minded technicians to learn, develop and enthuse.  This is interactive training, providing the skills and resources for secondary schools, with opportunities for discussion, and led by highly experienced food teachers. More information
Currently all our training courses are on line due to C19.
Posted in Cooking, News, Newsletters, Teaching

Food Teachers Centre July 2021 News

Posted on by by
 
July 2021 News
Hello ,

Just a quick update on Teacher Assessment, Government announcements regarding NEA and opportunities for training with us this summer term.
 
HEARTFELT THANKS TO EVERY FOOD TEACHER DOING TEACHER ASSESSMENT

A MASSIVE thank you for EVERYTHING YOU HAVE ALL DONE THIS YEAR.

As fellow food teachers really appreciate your time and thoroughness in reaching your final decisions – some of these were certainly difficult to make. It is worth reflecting on how much you have done, often working in isolation in your schools: we have continued to teach, we have devised exam papers and new assessments, marked them, moderated them and basically done, with all respect to our examiners, the job that examination boards usually do. It has been an absolutely exhausting and challenging process and the team here would like to thank each and every one of you. THANK YOU.

 
OFQUAL ANNOUNCES GCSE NEA ARRANGEMENTS (ENGLAND)
They are carrying forward 2021 contingency plans for NEA due to disruption caused by C19. NOTE these are temporary arrangements and are not permanent changes to the assessment process.
DECISIONS GCSE food preparation and nutrition NEA HERE
  • Remove NEA1 and permit an earlier release of NEA2. As a consequence, students might not be able to demonstrate all of the skills and techniques listed in the subject content.
  • To reduce the requirements for NEA2 to 2 dishes to be completed within 3 hours to allow for students to use complex processes such as baking, lamination, making ice-cream and to accommodate public health restrictions.

  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR TEACHING YEAR 10 and YEAR11
 
Y11: We expect NEA 2 tasks to be released on 1st September 2021 for assessment summer 2022. (Normally 1st Nov). NEA 2 will count for 50% of marks and written paper for 50%.

 
Y 11: You will NOT need to carry out NEA 1 Food Science assessment task, however, you will still need to teach the food science content for the written paper, and we recommend that you do this is a practical way – this help embed learning and students will perform better in the exam paper. For example, when you are teaching yeast doughs to prepare for NEA2, we recommend that you still carry out the investigation to show the ideal conditions for yeast to ferment and use this as an opportunity to explain the science of the dough rising. For example, when you are teaching how to prepare fresh fruits, we recommend that you still show students how to prevent enzymic browning and explain the science behind this.
 
Y11: In recognition of the practical time that students have missed they will only need to prepare 2 dishes in the final 3-hour practical exam and mark schemes are adjusted for this. We recommend that you talk to your SLT about scheduling mock and final practical tests , with contingency plans in place in case of continued school closures in the autumn. The NEA2 practical assessment dates should be recognised as a formal exam and be included in the School Exam Diary and information sent to parents.
 
Y10: Will need to be prepared for NEA 1 and NEA 2 as normal.
 
For queries about requirements for technical skills during development dishes (for AQA) you are advised to contact your NEA adviser allocated to your centre or refer to the guidance for 2021.
 
For all boards – Do check your own exam board website regularly. Most allow you to sign up to updates on their website.
 
What about the written paper summer 2022?
This consultation and decision is about NEA (as this was urgent to get sorted), the government are already in discussion about adjustments to written papers. We will get more information in due course.
 
What about vocational courses?
Until we hear otherwise about vocational courses, assume that you should prepare for assessments as normal, and check regularly with your exam board.  There are a great number of different vocational exams and it is not possible for OFQUAL to present a single answer as for GCSE.
 
What about Wales and other locations?
Do check with your own exam board. Most allow you to sign up to updates on their website.

 
 
New to teaching KS3, GCSE, H&C or Home Cooking Skills? 
 
 
If you are new to teaching KS3, GCSE, H&C, Home Cooking Skills..……
 
In the next fortnight we will be running FREE on-line meetings for all those who will be beginning teaching these courses in September to offer you support and guidance on getting ready for the new school year.  These meetings are led by Food Teachers Centre Community volunteers.
 
New to KS3 
Monday 28th June 4.30 More information  and Thurs 1st July 19.30  More information
New to GCSE
Mon 12th July 19.00  More information
New to H&C
Weds 7th July 19.00 More information
New to Home Cooking Skills
Monday 5th July 19.00 More information
 
More information under EVENTS tab in the group
 
What is needed most by the group?.
 
Please visit the group and tell us the most important help that you wish to get from the group.
 
All new ideas welcome. We currently have a poll running to make it easier for you to tell us your needs here
 
 
Fish Heroes – our 13 pioneer schools
 
13 pioneer schools across London, Bedfordshire, Bristol, Essex, Somerset, Devon, Surrey and the West Midlands received a delivery of wild Alaska sockeye salmon this month. 300 more schools around the country will receive wild Alaska salmon or Alaska pollock for their practical food and nutrition lessons in September.
 
These schools are all part of the Fish in Schools Hero programme , managed by the Food Teachers Centre in partnership with industry support such as The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) so that the next generation know how to prepare and cook, and get a chance to taste fresh fish.
 
Teachers have used the delivery of the fish to teach about sustainability and nutritional benefits of wild fish, as well as a chance to discover the tastes, textures, and versatility of Alaskan seafood.  Teachers described how easy it was to carry out the lessons as sample lesson plans and video recipes by chef and former Masterchef winner Dhruv Baker were provided. Teachers and students can also access the Seafood University with an online deep dive into the Alaskan fishing industry. www.alaskaseafooduniversity.co.uk   
 
Thank you to our pioneer schools and teachers:
Philip Friend, Adele Louise James, Rebecca Cottam, Sydia Wint, Andrew Hartshorn, Manish Gobin, Emily McMunn, Joe Mann, Deborah Prigg, Ian Webb, Zoe Wilson, Vicky Kyte, Jenny Webb.
 
 

Fish In School Hero competition
closing date 1st July 2021
 
 
 

 
Our on-line training is different!
 
The Food Teachers Centre has revolutionised CPD for food teachers!
 
Previously you would have signed up for a day face to face course, or an online webinar for an hour or so. But we believe that CPD should be Continuous Professional Development.
 
Now….
  • you sign up for a full year of training and support in an online training room – for ONE PRICE unlimited access
  • you do not need time off school, or to travel
  • prices are affordable for schools
  • provides the equivalent of 3-4 days traditional training
  • available 24-7 via mobile, tablet or computer from your Facebook account
  • move on at your own pace, start and stop as you need to
  • content is in small bite-size chunks so that you can improve your teaching step by step
  • flexible units to plan your own learning journey, suitable for very experienced and new teachers, and everyone in between!
  • easy tracking that automatically notes your progress over the course, so that you can restart where you left off when you return
  • regular live video presentations and drop -in sessions with tutors and guest speakers on current topics to stay up to date

 
We have a very wide range of courses to suit what current food teachers need.
 
360⁰ KS3 FOOD Training is a comprehensive training course to support those teaching FOOD at 11 – 14 years (KS3). Start any time, access for one year unlimited. More information
 
Food Science training course presents a comprehensive set of learning units to help you teach food science effectively in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition.  It provides strategies to incorporate food science as a way of improving the quality of food teaching. More information.
 
              
 
GCSE BOOST focuses on how to support lower ability learners and improve their performance in GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. It provides intervention strategies and ideas that you can implement immediately with Y10 and Y11. We cover all boards AQA, EDUQAS and OCR. More information
 
Teaching for Higher NEA2 Grades course combines professional tailor-made teacher CPD training on how to teach for higher grades through a series of video resources and recipes leading students through all the food preparation and cooking techniques required for higher NEA2 assessment grades for GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition. More information
 
NEA TOGETHER training course has numerous presentations, resources, and tips on how to prepare yourself and candidates for NEA, how to carry it out, and mark and moderate NEA, and how to use marking of NEA to improve your teaching next year. It also has a section for revision strategies and techniques for the written paper, with tips from examiners to improve your results and how to teach exam command words and higher mark questions. Throughout the yar this training room is supported by network meetings, timed to co-incide with key NEA dates such as NEA task release, marking deadlines. More information
 
Top Marks Hospitality and Catering (WJEC) course allows you to work alongside experienced teacher practitioners who guide you through how they have successfully planned and taught the WJEC L1-2 H&C course, how they have addressed issues and gained excellent performance from their students. More information
 
BTEC Home Cooking Skills course guides you through how to successfully plan, teach and assess Pearson BTEC L1-2 Home Cooking Skills More information
 
 
 
Food Allergens in Classrooms-On Line Training course is designed to provide a one stop shop for up to date information and support to make sure your departmental health and safety documentation is up to date. More information
 
Food Safety in Classrooms is the only course designed specifically for food teachers and is taught by food teachers and that includes BOTH the award of Level 2 Food Safety and accreditation for the nationally recognised FSA/Gov framework for food teaching standards. It is designed for all who teach and support in food activities in school, this includes teachers, technicians, teaching assistants / higher-level teaching assistants, trainee teachers, special needs support staff and cookery club leaders.
Group rates are possible.
One day training by arrangement. More information 
Book for one day training on Tuesday 13th July here
 
Food Technicians and Support Staff Training and Toolkit
Good Technicians are worth their weight in gold – keep up to date, motivated and valued by joining On-Line training with like-minded technicians to learn, develop and enthuse.  This is interactive training, providing the skills and resources for secondary schools, with opportunities for discussion, and led by highly experienced food teachers. More information
 
Currently all our training courses are on line due to C19.
 
Stay Safe
from
Food Teachers Centre team
 
Volunteer Associates  and Ambassadors throughout the UK with a passion for ‘Better Food Teaching’.
 
 
 
The Food Teachers Centre is a place of:
 
  • creative and innovative ideas and action
  • practical solutions
  • learning and sharing

If your organisation or company would like to work with us – please do get in touch via our website or facebook page/facebook group
 
For more information Visit our Website
 
 
 
 
Posted in Cooking, News, Newsletters, Teaching

Food Teachers Centre June 2021 News

Posted on by by
 
June 2021 News
Hello ,
 
This is a short newsletter as we are all so busy with TAGs, but we just wanted to remind you to take part in the Hands Up for Hand Hygiene Poster competition as it closes later this month.  This is a great activity to set for homework for KS3 or to pass onto your primary colleagues. And it comes with ready made teaching resources for you.
 
Are you new to teaching food at KS3?
Our combined Admin team put together 360⁰Food Training Room for Key Stage 3 so it has lots to help teachers new to this Key Stage.
  • Jill Oliver put in a super Scheme of work complete with recipes and Years 7 homework booklets and RAG assessment sheets.
  • Joe Mann shared his subject intent for his food programme from Year 7 – 9.
If you are being asked to teach Key Stage 3 after a long gap, or if you are a non-specialist and need some support, ask SLT for CPD via our Food 360 Training Room. You can dip in and out when you please and will have all the documentation and guidance at your fingertips. Click here for more information.

Would you like to improve your practical skills?
We will be running a free 4-day practical Culinary Arts course at Westminster College, London on October 25th-28th 2021. More details will be released next month on how to apply.
 
Be Fish Hero
Look out for our free fish being supplied to our Fish Hero programme schools, with free training and masterclasses available to members of the Food Teachers Centre (check the Facebook group for details #fishhero)
 
Thank you Alaska Seafood for supporting our schools.
 
 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hands Up for Hand Hygiene
 
Hands Up For Hand Hygiene is an exciting set of teacher resources created to engage young minds about the importance of thorough hand washing and sanitising.  
 
Designed as a computer game style mission, the campaign calls on pupils to create an informative poster explaining why hand hygiene is so crucial.  With a challenge to ‘spread the word, not the germs’, children are empowered to raise awareness of the importance of good hand hygiene among their peers.  
 
Enter by 30th June for a chance to win prizes for pupils and your school! 
 
Why get involved?  
  • Great summer-term activity pack available for free download, ideal for children aged 8-12 years old.  
  • Featuring a teacher presentation, video and design-a-poster template, the resources speak to children in their language – computer games!   
  • The animated video explains the importance of good hand hygiene to the next generation in a fun and friendly way.  
  • £100 Amazon vouchers to be won to spend on the class of the winning poster designer.  
  • There are prizes for schools on offer too.  Submit your class’ poster designs to be in with a chance to win a full suite of premium Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) hand hygiene products for your school. The prize includes soap dispensers for washrooms, along with hand sanitiser dispensers and a six-month supply of RCP refills.* 
 
How to get involved 
Act fast! The deadline for competition entries is 30th June.   
  • The competition is open here.  You’ll find all the resources you need, as well as instructions on how to enter.   
  • Share the link with anyone you think would be interested at your school.  Hands Up For Hand Hygiene could also make the basis of a great assembly to bring even more children on board.   
  • Completed posters need to be submitted by 30th June to be entered into the competition. 
 
*T&C’s apply. For more information visit Rubbermaid.eu. 
 
 
Do you need to gain or update your Food Safety in Classrooms accreditation this summer?.
 
We have two training options:
 
1. Join us On Line LIVE to complete your training in one day
(on TUESDAY July 13th 2021)    MORE INFO
 
OR
 
2. Go at your own pace over a few days to suit (Choose ticket marked ‘2020-2021’) MORE INFO
 
 
 
This On LINE COURSE includes award of Level 2 Food Safety AND accreditation for the national recognised framework for food teaching standards SECTION 9.1 to 9.6 ‘Implementing good hygiene and safety’ (listed in ‘Food teaching in secondary schools: A framework of knowledge and skills’ 2015 Public Health England, British Nutrition Foundation and Department for Education). Download this framework Here
 
This course is designed for all who teach and support in food activities in school, this includes teachers, technicians, teaching assistants / higher-level teaching assistants, trainee teachers, special needs support staff and cookery club leaders.Everyone who works with food has a special responsibility for safeguarding the health and well-being of their learners. This course also helps your school meet Ofsted requirements for ‘safeguarding’.
Check NEU standards here
 
This course is designed specifically for those working in schools; as it delivers the Level 2 content with school examples to make it relevant to your everyday work. It also helps you teach elements of food safety confidently at KS3-KS5.
 
Make a case for compulsory food safety training
If you need to make case for your training, please attached the following NEU Standards to your training bid to your school leadership team.
 
NEU state: It is essential that staff delivering food technology lessons have received appropriate training in health and safety issues. Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 requires that employees receive appropriate health and safety instruction and training. Teachers who have qualified in the subject will have received some such instruction as part of their initial teacher training. Non-specialists, however, should be provided with specific health and safety training for food technology teaching – whether in a primary or secondary context.
 
Reviews by teachers
“The course excelled in covering Health and Safety and the new Food and Nutrition requirements. I was also very impressed with the presentation pack to refer to later.”

“Gave me a chance to clarify so many issues (time to think with lots of practical advice from subject specialist experts).”

“The best CPD for food teachers”
 

Fish In School Hero competition
 
 
 
Stay Safe
from
Food Teachers Centre team
 
Volunteer Associates  and Ambassadors throughout the UK with a passion for ‘Better Food Teaching’.
 
 
 
The Food Teachers Centre is a place of:
 
  • creative and innovative ideas and action
  • practical solutions
  • learning and sharing

If your organisation or company would like to work with us – please do get in touch via our website or facebook page/facebook group
 
For more information Visit our Website
 
 
 
 
Posted in Cooking, News, Newsletters, Teaching

Food Teachers Centre May 2021 News

Posted on by by
 
May 2021 News
Hello ,
After a difficult year, the burden of Teacher Assessment has been very hard to manage for most teachers. We would like to say a HUGE ‘thank you’ to all of you – for the sake of your students, who have taken on the extra responsibilities usually performed by the exam board  – setting and marking new exams, assessing and moderating NEA, and finding new evidence (sometimes with new tasks set), plus grappling with calculations required with new mark-schemes, reviewing grade descriptions and previous grade boundaries to ensure that your marks are fair and consistent. The evidence gathering, recording and submission has been an enormous task for you.
 
We hope that many of you will be able to take a well-earned break at half term. You should not feel guilty about taking some time for yourself and your family after such a term of hard work and extra requirements.
 
If you still need help with TAG 2021, please do see the information in our NEA TOGETHER and Teacher Assessment training rooms on-line or reach out to a mentor in the group.
A big thank you to the team this month who have organised 11 Teacher Assessment meetings for 170 teachers, with 5,000 views of the extra video presentations, templates and examples that we have shared in the training room.

 

 

 

  
 

 

 

Exam arrangements 2022
OFQUAL CONSULTATION CLOSES THIS FRIDAY

 

Have your say! Make your views known by responding to The OFQUAL consultation on arrangements for non-exam assessment for qualifications in 2022.
It is open to anyone to respond – teachers, parents, students and exam boards.
The consultation closes on Friday 28th May at 11:45pm.

 

 

 
Here are some ‘top tips’ for completing the consultation online.
1.            The consultation and link to the online response can be accessed here.
2.            What is it about? OFQUAL are proposing to carry forward (keep) the majority of changes relating to non-exam assessment that were put in place for this summer, for 2021.– i.e., remove NEA1 and reduced NEA2.
3.            The online survey – as a minimum you need to complete:
  • Your details (all 10 questions)
  • Food Preparation & Nutrition GCSE (2 questions)
  • Equality Impact Assessment (3 questions)
  • Regulatory Impact Assessment (4 questions)
  • Confidentiality & feedback (4 questions)
You do need to put something into each question response box for the survey to be accepted.
4.            Points you may wish to consider in your response:
  • Removal of NEA1 for a 2nd year may have negative consequences for exam results, as many students learn abstract science in a practical way. The science aspects taught in NEA1 will still need to be taught thoroughly as they will appear within the written exam in Summer 2022 as usual.
  • By removing NEA 1 this may lead some to reduce the science element, running the risk of diluting the importance and integral nature of science in the food GCSE and therefore the possible progression to Level 3 courses.
  • Food may benefit from closer relationship with the Science practical investigation which is based on the same structure and mark scheme.
  • Could parts of both NEA1 & NEA2 be reduced where there is duplication? (i.e., research, evaluating and analysis are included in both tasks). It would then be possible to reduce the time allocation for both NEA’s.
  • Suggest that the title for Non-Examination Assessment (NEA) is changed to ensure schools, students and parents are aware that this is a practical exam and worth 50% of the GCSE marks. Non examination gives a false impression.
  • Suggest that OFQUAL reminds Senior Leaders that NEA 2 requires a dedicated block to time for assessment (and for mock examinations) and that this should be built into the examination timetable.
  • Release date for the titles to be brought forward and/or both NEA1 & 2 are released on 1st September 2021
It is important that you take this opportunity to highlight these important issues. Remember, the cut off date is Friday May 28th.

 

 

Teacher Assessment training continues ON LINE!
If you missed our TAG meetings you can catch up with recordings and handouts here (£20 donation for one year access). BOOK HERE

 

 

 

 

Teacher Assessment event recorded for CATCHUP

 

 
Teacher Assessment (Food) 2021 – on line ticket

 

The presentations will give:
  • Clear guidance from each exam board regarding changes and what is required.
  • Clear understanding of the requirements from OFQUAL/ DfE and JCQ on how to conduct teacher assessment and grade allocation.
  • Best Practice on teacher assessment from OFSTED D&T evidence.
  • Tips of working with colleagues to moderate and validate standards.
  • Insights into how experienced teachers are planning teacher assessment.
TWO  Options to Catch up on Teacher Assessment 2021
 
1. Our full on-line training package (£120) DETAILS HERE
OR
 
2. Our simple, cost conscious ‘Digital Ticket’   ONLY £30 DETAILS HERE

 
Do you need to gain or update your Food Safety in Classrooms accreditation this summer?.
We have two training options:
1. Join us On Line LIVE to complete your training in one day
(on TUESDAY July 13th 2021)    MORE INFO
OR
2. Go at your own pace over a few days to suit (Choose ticket marked ‘2020-2021’) MORE INFO
 
This On LINE COURSE includes award of Level 2 Food Safety AND accreditation for the national recognised framework for food teaching standards SECTION 9.1 to 9.6 ‘Implementing good hygiene and safety’ (listed in ‘Food teaching in secondary schools: A framework of knowledge and skills’ 2015 Public Health England, British Nutrition Foundation and Department for Education). Download this framework Here
This course is designed for all who teach and support in food activities in school, this includes teachers, technicians, teaching assistants / higher-level teaching assistants, trainee teachers, special needs support staff and cookery club leaders.Everyone who works with food has a special responsibility for safeguarding the health and well-being of their learners. This course also helps your school meet Ofsted requirements for ‘safeguarding’.
Check NEU standards here
This course is designed specifically for those working in schools; as it delivers the Level 2 content with school examples to make it relevant to your everyday work. It also helps you teach elements of food safety confidently at KS3-KS5.
 
Make a case for compulsory food safety training
If you need to make case for your training, please attached the following NEU Standards to your training bid to your school leadership team.
NEU state: It is essential that staff delivering food technology lessons have received appropriate training in health and safety issues. Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 requires that employees receive appropriate health and safety instruction and training. Teachers who have qualified in the subject will have received some such instruction as part of their initial teacher training. Non-specialists, however, should be provided with specific health and safety training for food technology teaching – whether in a primary or secondary context.
Reviews by teachers
“The course excelled in covering Health and Safety and the new Food and Nutrition requirements. I was also very impressed with the presentation pack to refer to later.”
 
“Gave me a chance to clarify so many issues (time to think with lots of practical advice from subject specialist experts).”
 
“The best CPD for food teachers”

 

Fish In School Hero competitions
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is offering 10 lucky winners the chance to
win a selection of seafood from Alaska worth £40.

 
The FISH HERO programme announces its second competition with the support of Alaska Seafood.

 

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute is offering 10 lucky winners the chance to
win a selection of seafood from Alaska worth £40.
To be in with a chance of winning, all you need to do is complete the FREE SHORT Alaska Seafood University training course by 31st May 2021.
 
To enter:
Take a screen shot of the Module Screen showing all the modules have been completed  and email it to the address given in the FISH HERO TRAINING ROOM  GUIDE 4 DETAILS HERE
  • We will select 10 winners at random from all entrants.
  • Each winner will receive a supermarket delivery containing a selection of seafood from Alaska for use in classrooms, subject to availability.
  • We will contact all winners to arrange a convenient delivery time. Prizes must be delivered before 31st July 2021.

 

This on-line training course is excellent CPD for your examination classes.
 

 

Tunnock’s Teacake Challenge 2021
Teacake Travels Around the World
Closing date this FRIDAY MAY 28th

 
“Teacake Travels Around the World”
The Challenge for 2021 is to present a Tunnock’s Teacake to the theme of “Teacake Travels Around the World”. Judging criteria are: presenting a stunning dish, creativity, skills and the use of ethically sourced ingredients.
Your idea should reflect traditions, sights, smells and/or tastes of a chosen country or culture. Ingredients do not have to be sourced from a chosen country if this adds to food miles, alternatives are acceptable.
*One student can be entered for each of the categories from each school.
CLOSING DATE MAY 28th 2021
Link to the POSTER to promote the competition at schools
Get more details here  and here is the link for the teaching Resources
Categories
  • Up to 14 years of age
  • 14 + years of age
  • Most novel
  • LOCKDOWN CHALLENGE (added so that students can use any suitable alternative to a Tunnocks Teacake, if they are completing this at home)

 

How to Enter
Teachers who enter their schools MUST be members of the Food Teachers Centre Facebook group, and this automatically gives you membership of the Tunnock’s Teacake Challenge group.
Please read the How to Enter and Rules (T&Cs) section of the Tunnock’s Teacake Challenge for full details
Posted in Cooking, News, Newsletters, Teaching