Mapping project food education in England

FOOD EDUCATION MAPPING PROJECT

OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND

“It’s Time to Take Food Education Seriously” (National Food Strategy, 2021)

At Best Food Forward, our mission is to increase access to great food education for young people. Now more than ever, understanding how to cook, how the food system works and how it impacts on our health, wellbeing and our environment is a vital life skill for every young person. That is why Best Food Forward believes food education must play an integral part of a child’s school experience.

Best Food Forward established the Food Education Mapping Project (FEMP) in July 2023 to gain a greater and up-to-date understanding of how food education is being delivered in secondary schools in England and the impact of learning about food on young people.

Our researchers, with support from their Advisory Group and wider Best Food Forward team, have undertaken an in-depth research project involving over 25 school visits across the country, from the Isle of Wight to Scunthorpe.

During the school visits, our researchers have mapped the delivery of food education including:

Staffing (i.e. number of teachers, technician support)
Facilities and equipment (i.e. students per class and how ingredients are supplied)
System for food learning (i.e. rotational or whole year at KS3)
Cross curricular & Wider food learning (i.e. links to other subjects, clubs, activities and school meal provision)

Alongside this, our researchers have conducted rich qualitative interviews with school personnel to understand the features and the enabling factors for a child-centred, whole-school approach to food education. During each school visit, the researchers have spoken to:

Food Teachers
Students
Senior Leadership Team (i.e. Head Teacher’s)
PSHE Teachers
And other school personnel, i.e. canteen staff.

Vision & purpose

The purpose of the project is to create a detailed picture of how young people learn about food in secondary school.

We aim to build upon previous work and literature, collaborating with partners. All our research is evidence-based following ethical guidelines.

We place emphasis on food learning in a wide sense, incorporating school wide and external factors.

We believe that schools are uniquely placed to support young people in developing their understanding of food.

Aim

The aim of the project is to capture the ‘voice of schools’ to highlight the importance of food education as part of a student’s school learning experience; including supporting healthy eating messages, developing hands on cooking skills and developing skills to support student’s next stage in life.

Through building on previous research and communicating with a wide range of stakeholders, this work aims to shine light on food education, capturing limitations, challenges and best practice.

Outputs

Host a Conference (Summer 2025) – bringing together stakeholders involved in our work.

Produce a report (Summer 2025) of the research findings

Propose policy recommendations and support for schools.

JAKE BARWOOD

Joint Strategic Lead for Mapping Secondary School Food Education

Part of the wider Best Food Forward team.

"Our mapping research is crucial in gaining a greater understanding of the food education landscape and how secondary schools are delivering their food education, how food education connects to other parts of the curriculum and wider school experience. I believe in the importance of food education and the impact that it can have on young people’s life outcomes and that’s why we’re trying to shine some light on this area."

"During the teenage years, young people develop the skills and habits that support their future wellbeing and attainment. Secondary school is a fantastic time to provide food education in a safe space that builds on their natural curiosity and desire to learn alongside their peers. Cooking meals, eating together, learning how to budget and shop, and how our everyday decisions impact on the environment can all support their journeys to independence."

ROSINA BORRELLI

Joint Strategic Lead for Mapping Secondary School Food Education

Part of the wider Best Food Forward team.

Food is part of the National Curriculum from KS1-KS3 (up to 14 years old) but not all students have access to it.

Since the removal of the Food A Level in 2017, food learning pathways have been limited.

Whole-school approaches are complex to establish and involve multiple stakeholders. Do we need a head of food in each school to support this?

The food sector is the largest employer in the UK, covering farming, production, hospitality and more

FOOD EDUCATION MAPPING PROJECT

OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND