New nutrition course aimed at primary teachers

According to the BNF teachers receive little training about nutrition, despite its importance in helping children to stay healthy and do well at school.

The free training is part of the  foundation’s charitable work as it celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

The new professional development course is called Teaching food in primary: the why, what and how, and aims to equip teachers to be able to implement engaging food lessons and healthy school initiatives.

It delivers eight different modules: food in schools; food origins; the Eatwell Guide and healthy eating; nutrition;  nutrition understanding; food safety; cooking in the classroom; and teaching. 

It provides downloadable guides for reflective practice, and ends with an assessment and BNF certification for those teachers who successfully complete the full course.

Roy Ballam, managing director and head of education at the BNF, said, ‘It is critical that teachers lay the foundations for children to make good dietary and lifestyle choices now and as adults.

‘But most primary teachers have received virtually no formal training in food, nutrition and physical activity.

‘It is because of this that the BNF believes that there is an urgent need to support these teachers during their training and when they are practicing.’

The course has been specifically created for primary school teachers. It is based on the requirements of the National Curriculum (England), the PHE Core Competences for Children and Young People and guidance to support primary school teachers deliver food teaching in schools (PHE/DfE).

A course for primary schools in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be available shortly.