Caerphilly Primary Schools take part in Skill-up, Start Cooking workshop

Caerphilly’s Healthy Schools Team recently organised a ‘Skill-up, Start Cooking’ workshop, which provided training to Primary School staff within the county borough. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The ‘Skill-up, Start Cooking’ workshop held at Blackwood Comprehensive School involved cooking and evaluating a variety of healthy meals. Staff members also learned how cooking can be woven into the literacy and numeracy curriculum for pupils. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Each schools which attended the training session also received a resource pack containing lesson plans to assist schools in teaching a variety of recipes, as well as teaching correct cooking techniques. Each school was also given a number of resources including plate mats, food cards and plastic foods to assist in supporting children to understand the source each food provides. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Healthy Schools Team also awarded £100 to each school to help fund any cooking resources they feel necessary to help support the delivery of the cooking club. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Rhianon Passmore, Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning said: “The Skill-up, Start Cooking workshops will benefit pupils throughout the borough, as Primary School staff are now better equipped to educate them on the benefits of healthy eating. Staff are also able to recognise which foods to select in order to make healthier choices”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​