Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families defines its purpose as leading work across Government to ensure that all children and young people:
• stay healthy and safe,
• secure an excellent education and the highest possible standards of achievement,
• enjoy their childhood,
• make a positive contribution to society and the economy,
• have lives full of opportunity, free from the effects of poverty.
The DCSF and the Department of Health operate a partnership initiative called the Food in Schools Programme. Focus on Food is taking a leading role in the development of one component of this programme called the Food Partnership. The aim of the Food Partnership is to develop food, health and nutrition education, specifically practical work with food, as a key learning activity in primary schools.
The overall aims of the Food Partnership are to:
• increase pupils’ experience of working with food;
• increase pupils’ knowledge of nutrition, healthy eating, food chain principles, food hygiene and safety;
• support the Healthy Eating core theme of the Healthy Schools programme;
• help raise the standards of achievement in food education;
• increase teachers’ confidence and competence in teaching about food and nutrition;
• develop a supportive network between schools concerning food issues.
The Food Partnership involves the Focus on Food Campaign, the Design and Technology Association and the British Nutrition Foundation.
In essence:
• The Focus on Food Campaign plans and delivers the practical training sessions.
• The British Nutrition Foundation helps to plan, deliver, monitor and evaluate the scheme.
• The Design and Technology Association identifies and recruits high quality teachers to participate and manage the scheme.
For more information go to www.dfes.co.uk