Cookery in Schools

[Fiona]

I am watching BBC Breakfast and it seems the Government is looking at making cookery in schools compulsory from 2011, so when did it stop being taught in schools.

I went to school in the 70's and we had a couple of lessons a week and I took it for O'Level, I went to an all girls school. My Brother went to a mixed school and was still taught cookery, I remember we turned out some varied recipes.

It seems a lot of schools don't even have the facilities, why are the planners building schools without these basic facilities, apparently there aren't even enough Home Economics teachers.

Did you do cookery at school and if so in which decade was it

[SoggyFox]

i was listening to radio 4 talk about that this morning and it struck me too, they called it Home Economics and I was taught that in the early 90's at school.

but even being taught in schools, why aren't the parents able to teach their offspring to cook. Its not like its difficult to cook.

[liamm]

we teach cookery and its compulsory for the kids up till third year. but i think thats just our school. I wasnt taught cookery at school but my gran taught me and now i do most of the cooking in our house.
It should be compulsory up to leaving school but like you say the facilities arnt there in most schools.

[Scubee]

I did cookery - actually, it was called 'domestic science'. However, the boys didn't. They did metalwork, or woodwork. - That was in the '70's.

I think the changes mean that all pupils will have to do some - it will be in the National Curriculum, rather than what happens currently is that schools and/or pupils can choose to have it in their curriculum. Which is good. My son can cook - and is keen to spend time in the kitchen with me, although he does a runner when it is washing up time.

[Tony Jay]

Originally Posted by Fiona

I am watching BBC Breakfast and it seems the Government is looking at making cookery in schools compulsory from 2011, so when did it stop being taught in schools.

I went to school in the 70's and we had a couple of lessons a week and I took it for O'Level, I went to an all girls school. My Brother went to a mixed school and was still taught cookery, I remember we turned out some varied recipes.

It seems a lot of schools don't even have the facilities, why are the planners building schools without these basic facilities.

Did you do cookery at school and if so in which decade was it

We did Home economics in (not cookery) in the 80's.

Why do schools not have the facilities as school roles have increased it has probably been more economic to build classrooms. Why do they no teach it ? probaby because it was not on the national curriculum and schools have no incentive to teach things which do not feed into league tables.

Will it make a difference teaching cooking? my peers educated at the same time buy ready meals and both my grans (in their 90's ) would rather have a ready meal than cook themselves - and one was a cook in hotel for 20 years.

i think most adults over rate the affect of school compared to the affect of homelife on a childs upbringing (its easy to blame a school / teachers than yourself !). But thats not a popular view, parents want credit for the kids and the blame goes to school and society.
Tony

[liamm]

Originally Posted by Tony Jay

We did Home economics in (not cookery) in the 80's.

Why do schools not have the facilities as school roles have increased it has probably been more economic to build classrooms.

Tony

school roles have fallen dramatically with us

[nigelH]

I didn't learn to cook at school. I learnt to cook at uni because I got hungry.

I did learn to turn metal on a lathe with absolutely no guards and a pump squirting soluble oil everywhere. Frankly that beats cooking hands down. I bet they don't do that at school now.

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by Tony Jay

I think most adults over rate the affect of school compared to the affect of homelife on a childs upbringing (its easy to blame a school / teachers than yourself !). But thats not a popular view, parents want credit for the kids and the blame goes to school and society.
Tony

I am not blaming schools, I don't have kids so I have no idea what they are taught nowadays

But if you teach kids how to cook then at least they are taking something home and then they might actually cook something at home or influence what is eaten.

I wonder if you can sill get cookery baskets

[Fiona]

Originally Posted by nigelH

I did learn to turn metal on a lathe with absolutely no guards and a pump squirting soluble oil everywhere. Frankly that beats cooking hands down. I bet they don't do that at school now.

No and I don't remember having to wear protective eye wear for a chemistry lesson

As I mentioned my Brother did cookery and the girls in his school did woodwork and metalwork - wish I had gone there.

[Craby]

yer we did cookery at school,
went on to collage and got my qualification as well.

nick does cookery at school too.infact it's this term.
some stuff was fantastic like his stuffed tomatos and his meat balls

he also goes to cookery club every wednesday lunch time

i think it should be compulsery,learn to cook less takeaways

thats got to be a positive all round