Exploring Food Education in the English Primary Curriculum

Abstract

There have been a lot of changes over the years within the English primary education system, and this chapter investigates what impact this has had on design and technology (D&T) and in particular the food technology education element. I am going to reflect on previous research in 2009 on teaching food education with university initial teacher education (ITE) trainee teachers. I will then replicate this research to explore if, and how, the results have altered in 10 years and why this is significant to us in how we move food education forward.

For the second part of this chapter, I have contacted a spread of 25 primary schools across England to find out just what food education is being taught and how it varies throughout the age phases. I am going to be looking at the different primary age ranges, firstly early years (3–5 years old). This area will focus on nursery and reception classes and the early year’s framework that they follow, concentrating on what skills are being both taught and learnt. Within Key Stage 1 (5–7 years old) and Key Stage 2 (7–11 years old), I will reflect on the content from the current national curriculum in England.

My expectation is that my research will enable myself, and others, to gain an overview and a better understanding of what changes have occurred during the last almost 10 years. The later part of this chapter considers food education currently being taught across England in early years and primary schools. Literacy and numeracy have a dominant focus in English primary schools, and I want to see if this has had an impact on the teaching of food education.