Since the inclusion of LGfL’s Free School Meal Eligibility Checker – a tool that simplifies Free School Meal applications for parents and subsequent access to potential PPF for schools – on the #EndChildFoodPoverty website, an additional £13 million in Pupil Premium Funding has been released. This brings the total of potential PPF funding identified since the launch of the Checker in 2014 to £100 million – funding that can be used by schools for extra one-to-one or small-group support for children within the classroom, extra teaching assistants to work with classes, maths or literacy catch-up sessions before or after school, breakfast clubs to improve attendance, music lessons for children whose families would be unable to pay for them and educational trips and visits.

“54% of children in my school qualify for Free School Meals,” said Leigh Welburn, Deputy Head Teacher, Ranelagh Primary School in Newham, East London – a borough in which half of children (50%) are judged to be in households in poverty, compared to 37% in a typical London borough. Although classed as an area of high deprivation, we don’t lower our expectations of our pupils. Having a balanced meal at lunchtime is an absolute necessity for some of our children. It allows them to muster the energy to focus on learning and to be physically active. In Newham, Key Stage 2 children receive a free school lunch – our school pays towards this. During Lockdown, we were aware of families that hadn’t checked their eligibility – due to the fact that at school they receive their lunch for free. We felt so strongly about FSM that we included a link to the Free School Meal Eligibility Checker featured on Marcus Rashford’s #EndChildFoodPoverty campaign site, on our website too in a bid to encourage more parents to apply. They did.”

During Lockdown parents at Ranelagh were able to pick up weekly food bags for their children – which included a healthy balanced meal for a daily lunch. “Thank goodness for these lunches” said one parent, “I am so glad the school pointed me towards checking my eligibility for Free School Meals.”

“For each FSM child, the school receives £1345 Pupil Premium Funding – money used to provide the extra support they need to ensure that they achieve the best possible outcomes in school time and in the holidays. “PPF funding enables the school to fund residential visits and an art therapist who uses art as a medium to address emotional issues which may be confusing and distressing. Mental healthiness is a focus for all our children – having this money to ensure our most disadvantaged have the opportunities allows all our children to thrive. Pupil Premium Funding is one of the most significant and important sums of money we receive in schools because it makes a huge difference to children’s lives.”

“According to the Department of Work and Pensions, there were 4.3 million children living in poverty in the UK in 2019-202. 49 per cent of children living in lone-parent families are in poverty3,” said John Jackson, CEO, edtech charity LGfL-The National Grid for Learning.

“In November this year inflation rose to a 10 year high of 4.2% – a rise that, coupled with the end of the Universal Credit £20 uplift for struggling families, has plunged millions of British households into food poverty – the inability to obtain an adequate and nutritious diet in socially acceptable ways,” said Anna Taylor, OBE, Executive Director, The Food Foundation, who work in partnership with Marcus Rashford on the #EndChildFoodPoverty campaign and website.

The Food Foundation reports that more households in the UK with children aged 17 and under, are experiencing food insecurity now than in the first wave of the pandemic. 15% have experienced food insecurity in the past 6 months. These levels are approximately 27% higher than before Covid.

“It’s not just a question of food,” said John Jackson, “the Pupil Premium Funding that is liberated when parents register for FSM provides schools with vital additional income to improve education outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in schools in England. Evidence shows that disadvantaged children generally face additional challenges in reaching their potential at school and often do not perform as well as other pupils. No child’s life chances should be determined by their socio-economic background. It’s crucial that low income parents apply for Free School Meals now and help liberate for their school the Pupil Premium Funding that will help their children to realise their aspirations.”

LEAF Education Director, Carl Edwards, explained: “There has never been a more critical time to harness the strength of feelings our young people have for the future of their planet. This competition addresses issues they care most about – climate change, sustainability, environmental protection, health and nutrition and climate change. By providing young people with first-hand experience of farming, food production and opportunities for more in-depth, critical analysis around current farming issues, our aim is to raise their awareness of the importance of farming in their everyday lives and its role in addressing the climate and ecosystem emergency.”

The farm visits for competition semi-finalists, which take place with LEAF’s team of Regional Education Consultants, will see students being asked to answer a farming related hypothesis using their experience on the farm, combined with wider research, and present their response. The recorded presentations will then be judged, and finalists will be invited to bring up to three students and two teachers to a weekend at Coleg Cambria Llysfasi in beautiful North Wales in the Vale of Clwyd – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. At the end of the weekend, one school will be crowned the ‘Innovation School of the Year 2021 in Food, Farming and Environment’. The finalists’ weekend will take place from the 22 – 24 October 2021.

The finalists’ weekend will be made up of fun and educational activities based around the college farm. The college farm is 970 acres and is a mixed enterprise commercial farm, which includes a dairy herd, sheep, beef, crops and forestry. The college also has an Animal Management Centre and an industry leading Agricultural Engineering workshop and latest tractor and machinery technologies. Throughout the weekend, students will milk cows, handle sheep, drive a tractor and gain an insight into the role of drone technology in food production.  Students will also visit the agri-forest, see countryside management in practice, and experience the driverless technology used by the agricultural industry.

Launched in 2019, out of the 33 students who have taken part in the competition, 12 have gone on to apply to study at land-based colleges. All students reported that it had ‘positively changed their perception of the farming industry’ and that it had ‘helped them with their studies back at school’.

Elin Roberts, Assistant Principal of Technical Studies and site lead at Llysfasi, said: “We are proud to once again be working in partnership with LEAF Education for the third annual Innovation School of the Year for Food, Farming and Environment competition. It provides a fantastic opportunity for students to gain first-hand experience of farming, whilst also highlighting how vital it is as part of the climate crisis solution.”

Entries close on 16 April 2021. The semi-finalist schools will be announced and contacted by 30 April. Semi-final farm visits will take place at a convenient time to suit the school, including a travel bursary (where necessary) between May – July 2021. The finals weekend will take place 22 – 24 October 2021.

More competition information can be found here and to enter the competition click here

Food for Life supports schools to get pupils eating healthy food and reconnect them with where their food comes from.  The ongoing pandemic has highlighted that now, more than ever, good health is key, and food has a crucial role to play. Food for Life strives to support schools in their good food and growing learning, encouraging positive food and health attitudes for life.

Independent studies report that joining Food for Life has increased school meal take up, attendance, increased confidence of staff and enriched their school curriculum. It could also help schools meet Ofsted criteria.

Primary schools across the UK will now have free access to a range of curriculum tools and materials, including Jamie Oliver Kitchen Garden Project resources, designed by experts to get children cooking, growing and eating amazing food that’s good for the planet too. These resources can be shared with parents who are home educating and will benefit children of key workers who are still attending school.

Sophia Koniarska, Associate Director at Food for Life says “The latest lockdown and subsequent closure of schools has hit at a time when energy and resource are low. We have heard some truly inspirational stories of teachers using innovative methods to teach safely with reduced numbers, whilst also supporting pupils learning with their families at home.

“Here at Food for Life we are keen to support teachers and home learning to incorporate good food education as much as possible. Never has it been more important for our younger generation to have an understanding of good food and where it comes from, embedding positive health habits and food enjoyment for life.  We of course look forward to continue our support in classrooms and school dining rooms once lockdown has lifted.”

Schools who register for free membership will receive:

• Online access to Food for Life and Jamie Oliver Kitchen Garden Project resources
• Access to a personalised Food for Life portal, including a blog for teachers to share achievements with parents

Schools can benefit from this Food for Life offer by visiting https://www.foodforlife.org.uk/registration/free-membership

Simon is an award-winning private chef who reached the top 10 of MasterChef in 2018 and now runs the private catering and events company Knife Fork and Spooner based near Stamford, Lincolnshire. Simon commented: “The Kids Country Winter Warmer Soup Challenge covers many things that are close to my heart, helping school children become more at home with great seasonal British produce and learning important nutrition and cooking skills.”

The annual cooking competition gives primary schools the opportunity to win a £200 first prize for their school – jointly donated between Central England Co-operative and Kids Country – as well as the coveted Winter Warmer Soup Challenge Trophy and a behind the scenes visit to a local farm, subject to Covid-19 restrictions.

Sandra Lauridsen, education manager for Kids Country, the East of England Agricultural Society’s education programme, says: “We are thrilled that we can still run our popular cooking challenge this winter, despite the restrictions that the Covid-19 pandemic has put on so many activities for children this year. We are grateful to Simon for joining the competition as our head judge, and he will be cooking up the three finalists’ recipes at the final stage of the competition. We hope that the Winter Warmer Soup Challenge will give primary schools an opportunity to not only engage with seasonal British produce, but also that it will be something that children can really put their imagination into.”

More information can be found on the Kids Country events page: https://www.kids-country.co.uk/events/

All entries must be received by 6^th November 2020.

Over half (56 percent) of primary school children and exactly half (50 percent) of secondary school students surveyed say that they are more active now that they are back at school. Only 11 percent of primary school children and secondary school students say that they are now less active than before they went back to school. However, almost one third (29 percent) of adults state they are less active now than before lockdown started in March.

The survey also indicates the extent to which adults and secondary school children have turned to ‘comfort’ foods and drinks throughout the pandemic. Nearly half (46 percent) of adults and 43 percent of secondary school students say that they have consumed more chocolate when feeling tired, stressed, bored or anxious throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. 41 percent of adults and 35 percent of secondary school students have consumed more cakes or biscuits; 33 percent of adults and 41 percent of secondary school students have eaten more crisps; and 13 percent of adults and 28 percent of secondary school students have drunk more sugary drinks. Well over a third (35 percent) of all adults say that they have consumed more alcohol when feeling tired, stressed, bored or anxious during the pandemic.

In contrast, 37 percent of secondary students and 18 percent of adults report eating more fruit, and 21 percent of secondary students and 12 percent of adults report eating more vegetables when feeling tired, stressed, bored or anxious.

Sara Stanner, Science Director at BNF says: “As we navigate this next stage of the pandemic, we know that being in good health is more important than ever to help us stay well, but making healthy choices isn’t always easy. The unprecedented effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our lives have challenged all of us so it’s great to see our survey suggest that many children are feeling healthier and are more active now they are getting back to school. However, it’s not surprising that many adults and secondary students have been reaching for less healthy foods when tired, stressed or anxious.

“BNF Healthy Eating Week aims to support children and adults to make more informed choices and to lead healthier lives by increasing knowledge of healthy eating and wellbeing, and the benefits of physical activity and cooking. 4,929 schools and nurseries, and 1,324 workplaces (or workplace teams), colleges and universities across the UK are taking part in BNF Healthy Eating Week 2020 (28 September to 4 October). The week’s activities include seven daily health challenges, which people are encouraged to take part in at school, in the workplace, or at home.”

One of the BNF Healthy Eating Week challenges is to ‘Eat more wholegrains’. The BNF survey suggests that knowledge of what wholegrain foods are among both children and adults is varied. Wholegrain foods such as bran flakes, oats, wholegrain bread and wholemeal pasta were all correctly identified by many, for example, over 40 percent of primary and over 80 percent of secondary school children and adults said that wholemeal bread is a wholegrain food. However, over 30 percent of primary and secondary school children think that basmati rice is a wholegrain food and over 20 percent of adults think that couscous is a wholegrain. Beans, potatoes with skins and dried fruit were also selected by many respondents and, although these provide fibre, they do not count as wholegrain.

BNF Healthy Eating Week also highlights the value of including a variety of different fruits and vegetables in the diet. The new survey explores consumption of fruit and vegetables among the different age groups and finds that children report eating more fruit than adults, while adults report consuming more vegetables. 52 percent of primary school children and 53 percent of secondary school students say they usually eat three or more portions of fruit each day, compared with 44 percent of adults. 53 percent of primary school children and 58 percent of secondary school students report that they eat three or more portions of vegetables each day, compared with 64 percent of adults. One in 10 primary school children and 7 percent of secondary school students say that, if they could, they would eat no vegetables at all, while a fifth (20 percent) of primary school children and 14 percent of secondary school students would choose to only ever eat one type of vegetable.

Primary school children who took part in the survey were asked to name their three favourite vegetables. The clear winner is carrots (68 percent of children), followed by beetroot (36 percent), cauliflower (32 percent) and cucumber (31 percent). Parsnips, swede and pak choi are joint last in the primary school children’s vegetable league table (0.3 percent each).

Secondary school students and adults were asked to select all of the different types of vegetables they have eaten in the last two weeks. For secondary school students, carrots also top the list, included by 84 percent. This is followed by onions, broccoli, cucumber and peas, which are each included by over 60 percent. Tomatoes are the most frequently mentioned vegetable for adults, included by 89 percent of respondents. Carrots, onions and peppers are the next most frequently included, mentioned by over 80 percent of adults. Over 70 percent of adults report eating beans (e.g. baked beans), broccoli, cucumber, lettuce and peas in the previous two weeks. Okra and celeriac are the least consumed vegetables in both age groups.

The BNF survey also asked about the social eating habits of the different age groups within the home and found that half (50 percent) of all primary school children say that they eat with other people at home five or more nights of each week, with 42 percent of these eating with others every night of the week. The number of secondary school students who say they eat with other people in the home, without the distraction of technology (TV, mobile phones, laptops, etc), five or more times a week is 53 percent, 38 percent of those eating together every night of the week. Less than a third (29 percent) of adults say that they eat with other family members, without distractions, every night of the week and 42 percent say they eat with others at home five or more nights each week.

Stanner concluded: “From our survey, while it’s good to see that many adults and children report eating with others at home regularly, about 20 percent of all groups we surveyed say they never eat with others at home without the distraction of TV, phones or other technologies. One of the BNF Healthy Eating Week challenges is to eat together and this is something that can help build healthy eating habits for children, as well as providing an ideal opportunity to chat and catch up without other distractions. Our other weekend challenge is to get active together and we asked secondary students and adults whether exercising with other helps motivate them to be active – 68 percent of adults and 73 percent of secondary students agreed. So, getting active with others, bearing in mind current measures to control the spread of COVID-19, could be a great way for many to get moving.”

The first phase of the initiative was a huge success, with schools in Dumfries and London winning an array of cooking appliances and accessories that have transformed their ability to provide hand-on cooking sessions, as well as supporting their local communities.

Belling Cookery Club was launched to support the estimated 75% of primary schools that don’t have a teaching kitchen. For this reason, and despite cooking and nutrition now forming part of the curriculum across the UK, it is believed that the majority of Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils don’t receive practical cookery experiences.

Belling, which has been at the heart of British cooking for more than a century, is hoping the Cookery Club initiative will play a part in helping the next generation embrace a love of cooking. Every year, Belling will award two primary schools with up to £2,000 worth of cooking appliances, along with fun cooking accessories for the children to use.

The competition is open to all primary schools, with pupils asked to produce a picture of their favourite nutritionally balanced meal, along with a description of why they like it so much and why it’s good for them. Pupils can work on the entry individually or as a class, and each school is asked to select a single entry to be sent to Belling alongside a brief explanation from a member of teaching staff about the school’s existing facilities and what winning the prize would enable them to do. Entries can be as fun and creative as the children like.

Jane Rylands, Head of Marketing Communications at Belling, said: “We had a great response to Cookery Club last year and we loved looking at all the entries.

“We believe children get so much out of learning to cook – physically interacting with ingredients and producing their own food; learning new skills for later life and understanding what is good for them and why. We hope that Belling Cookery Club will give some schools a valuable resource and inspire their pupils to love cooking.”

Belling Cookery Club is now open (until Friday April  5^th)  for entry via the Belling website on https://www.belling.co.uk/cookery-club/ where full details, along with Terms and Conditions are available.

Details about last year’s winners can be found here https://www.belling.co.uk/cookery-club-winners/

Schools looking to bake their way to the top spot should recruit a team of up to three enthusiastic 7-11 year olds and register online from Wednesday, 2nd January. The winning team will take home the jackpot of £1,000 worth of equipment for their school kitchen, whilst each of the four runners up will win £250 worth of equipment. The competition theme will continue to focus on local produce, encouraging schools to source ingredients within a 30 mile radius of their school for their McDougalls recipes – helping children learn more about where their food comes from.

Mark Taylor, Customer Controller at Premier Foods, comments: “All the team here at Premier Foods look forward to the McDougalls Young Baking Team of the Year competition every year, it really is one of the highlights in the calendar. It has proved such an important tool for teaching children cookery skills, the importance of local ingredients and above all, has proved a real confidence booster for them. We have had many teachers and parents commenting to us after the competition, to let us know how far the children have come during the process, we’ve noticed it too and it’s so great to see at the live final each year.”

Nic Hastie, School Chef at St Martin and St Mary’s C of E Primary School, 2018 winner, comments: “Since winning the competition it has given both myself and the children a real confidence boost. It has really taught the children that if you work hard you can achieve your goals. When I look back to the beginning of the process, when we first started practicing for the competition and how they have come out of their shell since taking part and winning, it is incredible. The £1,000 prize money which we received as a result of our victory has been used to set up a weekly after school cookery club, it has paid for chef coats for the children and the equipment we need in order to make it a success. We launched this just after the October half term, opening it up to years three to six and we’ve already had over 40 sign ups. We’re really hoping it will encourage the children to start baking more at home too with their families.”

Schools up for the baking challenge can register their interest at www.premierfoodservice.co.uk and will receive a McDougalls toolkit within seven days which will include product samples, an application form and recipe inspiration. Teams will be asked to create either a sweet or savoury recipe, which includes one local ingredient and one McDougalls Flour Based Mix for submission.

Key Dates to remember
• Registration opens: 2nd January 2019
• Registration closes: 5th April 2019
• Recipes to be submitted: 17th May 2019
• Live final at LACA – The Main Event: 11th July 2019

The frozen food education packs were launched for the current school term and are available to food technology teachers as teaching aids, in the form of two lesson plans along with assisting material.

Aimed at pupils in Key Stage 3, or year nine, the education packs contain information, lesson plans and materials which are aligned to the school syllabus. The packs are offered as an optional aid for secondary school teachers, providing them with detailed lesson plans and structured guidelines.

The lesson plans and supporting materials teach pupils about nutrition, food waste, value and cooking methods. A practical lesson plan gives pupils the opportunity to cook a dish of their choice using frozen ingredients.

Speaking about the launch of the education packs, BFFF chief executive Brian Young said: “These packs will provide a superb tool for food technology teachers, with several activities that are compatible with the syllabus. The new school year can be a busy time, with meetings, planning and lesson preparation. We hope these packs can help free up what little time teachers have – in the form of detailed and fully referenced education packs.”

BFFF has amassed a bank of evidence that promotes the many benefits of frozen food, the data has been used to create fun and clear lesson plans. Facts about frozen food will be provided to year nine students at a stage when they are starting to develop their cooking skills.

Mr Young added: “The education packs are a great way to show school pupils how to reduce waste and maintain a balanced diet with their food choices, while also saving money. The education packs are another step in our efforts to help the public form an educated perception of frozen food.”

Teachers can download the resource direct from http://bfff.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Education-Packs-Sept-14.pdf

The campaign has been launched by the Fairtrade Foundation, and aims to help children learn about global issues whilst raising money to increase the impact of Fairtrade.

Using fun, interactive activities, the campaign helps develop understanding about Fairtrade and how it can help tackle poverty in developing countries.

2014 marks 20 years since the very first products carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark were sold in the UK. Now there are over 4,500 different items sold in the UK bearing the logo.

Thanks to the support of the public and campaigners, an increasing number of farmers and workers in developing countries are now selling their products on Fairtrade terms, bringing them a stable income, and the chance to work their own way out of poverty.

Kate Jones, Education Campaigns Manager, said: “Since the launch of the FAIRTRADE mark in 1994, more than 1.4 million farmers and workers have secured a better deal for their work, and improved the livelihood for their families.

“The Fairtrade Bakesale Party is a brilliant way to introduce pupils to Fairtrade and the people who grow some of the foods we eat every day. With our world map poster and worksheets, pupils will learn new skills and have great fun along the way, but most importantly taking part will empower them to make a difference to the lives of marginalised people in poorer countries.

“We hope schools across the UK will join us to celebrate Fairtrade’s 20th birthday and help bring Fairtrade to more of the people who need it most.”

In developing countries many of those who grow the products we consume in the UK earn less than it costs to run their farm. Raising money for the Fairtrade Foundation will help farmers to earn a fair price for their work, as well as a little extra – the Fairtrade Premium – which is invested for instance in clean drinking water, healthcare and education for children in the community.

Schools have been a big part of the Fairtrade movement. The Bakesale Party could be a first step towards achieving one of the nationally recognised Fairtrade School Awards, designed to teach the next generation that through everyday actions they have the power to change the world around them. There are now over 1,300 Fairtrade Schools in the UK, and that number continues to rise thanks to the support of dedicated teachers and students across the UK.

Teachers can register now and download a free resources pack at  www.fairtrade.org.uk/bakesale that includes a lesson plan, a world map, student activities and event resources to help them organise their Bakesale Party.