Principles for a partnership approach for the food and drink industry and other related organisations working with schools

CONTEXT

This document sets out key principles to help support the development of meaningful and sustainable partnership working between schools, the food and drink industry and other related organisations.

Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence states 'Creating strong partnerships with a range of organisations helps to deliver a more personalised learning experience for every child and young person'.

By using food in its widest context (social, health, environmental and economic) as a vehicle for learning, the food and drink industry and other related organisations can support schools to encourage pupil engagement and learning.

Key Principles

"Schools and industry working together with the same end in mind can only be beneficial to learning. Partnership working is critical to the success of Curriculum for Excellence - the more teachers work with colleagues from industry, the better the experience for the young person. Partnership working brings an added dimension to learning and helps equip our young people with the skills for learning, life and work."

Anne Jardine, Learning and Teaching Scotland

"The children thoroughly enjoyed organising the school farmers' market from contacting producers to setting up on the day. It was an extremely valuable experience for them to learn the process of food production from rearing animals on a farm to making a profit at the market."

Tracy Connelly, Teacher at Kirkbean Primary School

"Getting involved with a food project makes you think differently when you are in the supermarket as you think about where the product comes from."

S5/6 Pupil Coatbridge High School

"It was a great opportunity to learn new things about the "Business World". I really enjoyed the "Food Lab" - the overall task has been absolutely amazing."

P4/5 pupil Auchenblae Primary School

"We were very keen to support the schools programme again...it helps us get more involved in the local community, and can also bring fresh ideas for new products. On a lighter note it gives the whole team a chance to do something away from the day job and the enthusiasm of the pupils remind us why we got into the food industry in the first place!"

Natural Fruit and Beverage Company

"I didn't realise there were so many jobs in the food industry - I had only thought you could be a chef before we started the project."

S5/6 Pupil Coatbridge High School

These principles have been developed by a Food and Drink Education working group supported by the Scottish Government.

Useful Links

Scottish Government Food www.scotland.gov.uk/food

Scottish Government Education www.scotland.gov.uk/education

Learning and Teaching Scotland www.ltscotland.org.uk

The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/HLivi/foodnutrition

Curriculum for Excellence www.curriculumforexcellence.org.uk