Better Eating, Better Learning

Published 01/01/2017.  Last updated 11/04/2023
sourceSelf-evaluation schoolHealth and Wellbeing (HWB) categorySchool Improvement categoryLearning for Sustainability (LfS)

This resource aims to help those at service level in individual schools and catering service providers to ensure that all staff are supported and informed. it will benefit those with decision-making capacities who are the driving force behind transformational change in food education and school meal provision, particularly those individuals working in health and wellbeing, education, catering, procurement and community planning.

It may also be useful for health promotion specialists, public health practitioners, Active School co-ordinators, and Parent Councils – to highlight how school food supports local communities.

How to use this approach

If you decide to run your own Better Eating, Better Learning workshop, you may wish to consider the following:

1. The best results will be achieved with a multi-disciplinary group, with representation from health, education, catering and procurement to help encourage future partnership working and generate balanced discussion

2. Invite a representative group of young people and parents to take part. Children, young people and their families are at the heart of successful implementation and they will provide invaluable insight into how you might engage their peers.

3. Divide participants into small multi-disciplinary groups with a good mix of different job roles, sitting at tables.

Downloads

PowerPoint presentation: Better Eating, Better Learning: A new context for school food (4 MB)

PowerPoint presentation: High 5 Health and Nutrition Programme - David Rex (4.3 MB)

PowerPoint presentation: What does healthy and sustainable mean for food in schools? - Dr Jennie Macdiarmid (2 MB)

Explore this self-evaluation approach

What do you need?

You will need:

  • PowerPoint presentations
  • a projector for showing the presentation slides and short films
  • poster-sized paper and pens

In advance of the workshop, ask participants of bring a copy of the Better Eating, Better Learning Self-Evaluation Tool.

Is the lunchtime experience currently viewed as part of a young person’s learning experience?

How much do pupils know about the food that is served in their school?

Is the school dining room, with its staff, viewed as a resource for offering pupils practical learning experiences?

You can download the following practical exercises to support Better Eating Better Learning

  1. What does Better Eating, Better Learning mean to me?
    PDF file: Exercise 1 (183 KB)
  2. Design your own Better Eating, Better Learning hub
    PDF file: Exercise 2 (236 KB)
  3. Improving sustainability through school food
    PDF file: Exercise 3 (144 KB)
  4. Reducing food waste
    PDF file: Exercise 4 (167 KB)
  5. The dining experience
    PDF file: Exercise 5 (140 KB)
  6. Communication and enjoyment
    PDF file: Exercise 6 (165 KB)
  7. Training and CPD
    PDF file: Exercise 7 (146 KB)
  8. Developing a plan of action
    PDF file: Exercise 8 (184 KB)

Better Eating, Better Learning

Published 01/01/2017.  Last updated 11/04/2023
sourceSelf-evaluation schoolHealth and Wellbeing (HWB) categorySchool Improvement categoryLearning for Sustainability (LfS)

This resource aims to help those at service level in individual schools and catering service providers to ensure that all staff are supported and informed. it will benefit those with decision-making capacities who are the driving force behind transformational change in food education and school meal provision, particularly those individuals working in health and wellbeing, education, catering, procurement and community planning.

It may also be useful for health promotion specialists, public health practitioners, Active School co-ordinators, and Parent Councils – to highlight how school food supports local communities.

How to use this approach

If you decide to run your own Better Eating, Better Learning workshop, you may wish to consider the following:

1. The best results will be achieved with a multi-disciplinary group, with representation from health, education, catering and procurement to help encourage future partnership working and generate balanced discussion

2. Invite a representative group of young people and parents to take part. Children, young people and their families are at the heart of successful implementation and they will provide invaluable insight into how you might engage their peers.

3. Divide participants into small multi-disciplinary groups with a good mix of different job roles, sitting at tables.

Downloads

PowerPoint presentation: Better Eating, Better Learning: A new context for school food (4 MB)

PowerPoint presentation: High 5 Health and Nutrition Programme - David Rex (4.3 MB)

PowerPoint presentation: What does healthy and sustainable mean for food in schools? - Dr Jennie Macdiarmid (2 MB)

Explore this self-evaluation approach

What do you need?

You will need:

  • PowerPoint presentations
  • a projector for showing the presentation slides and short films
  • poster-sized paper and pens

In advance of the workshop, ask participants of bring a copy of the Better Eating, Better Learning Self-Evaluation Tool.

Is the lunchtime experience currently viewed as part of a young person’s learning experience?

How much do pupils know about the food that is served in their school?

Is the school dining room, with its staff, viewed as a resource for offering pupils practical learning experiences?

You can download the following practical exercises to support Better Eating Better Learning

  1. What does Better Eating, Better Learning mean to me?
    PDF file: Exercise 1 (183 KB)
  2. Design your own Better Eating, Better Learning hub
    PDF file: Exercise 2 (236 KB)
  3. Improving sustainability through school food
    PDF file: Exercise 3 (144 KB)
  4. Reducing food waste
    PDF file: Exercise 4 (167 KB)
  5. The dining experience
    PDF file: Exercise 5 (140 KB)
  6. Communication and enjoyment
    PDF file: Exercise 6 (165 KB)
  7. Training and CPD
    PDF file: Exercise 7 (146 KB)
  8. Developing a plan of action
    PDF file: Exercise 8 (184 KB)