Schools celebrate life down on the farm

Seven Devon schools achieved well-earned recognition for their outstanding work with school meals and food education on Wednesday (15 April) as they received awards from the national school food programme, the Food for Life Partnership (FFLP). 

Pupils, teachers, caterers and special guests enjoyed a gloriously sunny day at West Town Farm, Ide – a working organic farm near Exeter – and took part in various food-related activities.

Activities included mud painting in the yurt using health-related words, led by organicARTS. Pupils and guests enjoyed a farm tour, learning all about Devon produce, and were lucky enough to see a lamb born just that morning. They then enjoyed a tasty lunch with West Town farm.

Some examples of how the awards have been achieved, using three of the schools attending:

Okehampton Primary School has led Family Learning Cookery courses in their new community classroom. Inspired by a ‘Teaching Cooking Confidently’ course, staff now deliver half termly courses for parents covering affordable family meals, seasonal salads and bread making.

Highweek Primary and Nursery School enjoy gardening and won Newton Abbot in Bloom schools award in 2014.  They have developed outdoor areas to include a forest school and fruit growing area and organised a School Farmers Market, attracting local suppliers including West Town Farm.

Littleham Primary School has worked closely with their caterers and local butcher on food quality and also ran a successful School Farmers Market, with pupils designing aprons and running stalls.

FFLP is funded by Devon County Council’s Public Health, and has worked in Devon for three years, supporting schools with their food education, running teacher training courses and providing resources and local support.

Devon Local Programme Officer Polly Frost said: “It is wonderful to be here today, to celebrate with those schools and caterers who recognise the benefits of prioritising food education: improved self-esteem, wellbeing, the acquisition of life skills and plenty of fun which in turn improves pupil progress.”