Interesting Practice Exemplars: Food for Thought Projects - Phase 8
The Food for Thought Education Fund gives financial support to develop Food and Health as a context for learning. The four establishments highlighted here were successful in securing funding in Phase 8 (session 2021-22).
- Onthank Primary School, East Ayrshire
- Hecklegirth Nursery, Dumfries and Galloway
- Viewforth Secondary (ASN department), Fife
- Peter’s Primary School, North Ayrshire
Explore this resource
Each exemplar will demonstrate how a grant of up to £3,000 was used to purchase food related resources in order to complete an initial project. This initial work was taken forward to provide ongoing opportunities for new learning in these four very different settings. Themes addressed in the exemplars include healthy eating, cooking and growing, reducing waste, linking with the community, working with parents and developing the young workforce. Along with other materials, the application and evaluation forms submitted by the establishments have been included as these give additional detail for each project.
What was done?
Reducing waste
Onthank’s project focused on reducing food waste. Pupil Council and Rights Respecting Schools ambassadors took the lead in implementing the school’s ‘Waste Attack’ plan. They collaborated with the teaching staff focus group to identify aspects of ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ they wanted to explore and lessons were delivered sharing this important message.
Working in partnership
Hecklegirth established partnership working to support the delivery of a holistic programme where children and their parents/carers were afforded opportunities to cook and dine together. Through growing, harvesting and cooking their own crops they aimed to cultivate a love and understanding of food and nutrition and the importance of nurturing both our bodies and the environment.
Skills development
Viewforth aims to develop the skills of pupils with additional and complex support needs by growing fruit and vegetables. Pupils will use the food grown to cook healthy dishes, reduce food waste and develop independent living skills, creating opportunities for pupils to apply their skills in real-life contexts.
Resource provision
St. Peter’s project involved the purchase of a cooker and other resources to support children in developing their cooking skills and to increase their knowledge and understanding of food and nutrition. The children participated in cookery lessons with recipes being taken from the ‘Love Food, Hate Waste’ campaign.
Additional materials
Onthank Primary School
PDF file: Food for Thought Evaluation Form (269 KB)
YouTube video: Reducing Waste in East Ayrshire
Hecklegirth Nursery
PDF file: Food for Thought Application Form (219 KB)
PDF file: Food for Thought Evaluation Form (225 KB)
PPT File: Photographs and blog entries (2.6 MB)
Viewforth High School
PDF file: Food for Thought Application Form (248 KB)
PDF file: Food for Thought Evaluation Form (199 KB)
Sway Presentation: ‘Our Food for Thought Project’.
St. Peter’s Primary School
PDF file: Food for Thought Application Form (263 KB)
PDF file: Food for Thought Evaluation Form (165 KB)
Word file: Cookery Planner (13 KB)