Cookery classes now compulsory

Over 85% of schools already have the facilities in place and offer food technology classes. Lessons will now be compulsory and will cover basic cooking skills for all pupils in these schools from September and in every school from 2011. The measures are a key part of the Government's strategy to cut obesity, which is to be launched by Health Secretary Alan Johnson and Ed Balls today (23 January). The Government will target an extra £2.5 million a year when lessons become compulsory to cover or subsidise the cost of cooking ingredients for pupils on school free meals, to ensure that no child is disadvantaged. Ed Balls has been asking the public to suggest healthy versions of classic dishes young people can cook – from shepherd's pie or curries to baked apples and fruit crumbles. Mr Ball commented: "Leaving school able to cook healthy dishes from scratch is an essential everyday skill all young people should have. We're not talking about schools training top chefs – but it is right that children learn the basics they need to go on and start cooking at home with their parents and later on their own. "The vast majority of schools already offer food technology and we've ensured that every child that wants lessons will get them – but we're now taking this further by focussing on basic cooking skills and with investment and support for schools." Today's announcement builds on the existing 'Food in Schools' programme, which was set up in 2001 so expert secondary food teachers can train primary colleagues to teach cooking and related areas such as healthy eating and food safety. More than 4000 primary teachers and 260 trained secondary teachers will be trained by March.