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From 2011, every 11 to 14-year-old will be given, hands-on cooking lessons in how to make cheap, healthy dishes from simple, fresh ingredients. Cooking has never been compulsory in secondary schools before.

Over 85 per cent of schools already have the facilities in place and offer food technology classes - lessons will be compulsory and will cover basic cooking skills for all pupils in these schools from this September and in every school from 2011.

The measures are a key part of the Government's strategy to cut obesity, to be launched by Health Secretary Alan Johnson and Ed Balls tomorrow (23 January).

Mr Balls said the Government will target an extra £2.5 million a year when lessons become compulsory to cover or subsidise the cost of cooking ingredients for pupils on free school meals, to ensure that no child is disadvantaged.

And he said all secondary schools would build, modernise or share good food technology facilities so every child can learn in up-to-date kitchens ready for 2011.

He also said he was asking the public to suggest healthy versions of classic dishes young people can cook - from Shepherd's Pie or curries to tomato and bolognese sauces to baked apples and fruit crumbles.

Mr Balls said:

"Leaving school able to cook healthy dishes from scratch is an essential everyday skill all young people should have. We're not talking about schools training top chefs - but it is right that children learn the basics they need to go on and start cooking at home with their parents and later on their own.

"The vast majority of schools already offer food technology and we've ensured that every child that wants lessons will get them - but we're now taking this further by focussing on basic cooking skills and with investment and support for schools.

"It must be a thing of the past that young people - especially boys - can leave secondary school never having had a basic cooking lesson.

"Simple cooking is a fundamental skill that every young person should master - it is at the heart of tackling obesity and will enable future generations to understand food, diet and nutrition; and put together healthy meals for their entire lives.

"That is why we are also asking people to e-mail in to getcooking.consultation@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk with suggestions for simply healthy recipes which young people could learn."

The plans in detail

Food technology will be a compulsory Key Stage 3 curriculum entitlement for every 11-14 year old from September 2011 - with a term of food technology lessons, involving practical cooking lessons and classes on diet, nutrition, hygiene and healthy food shopping. The new secondary curriculum, announced last year and introduced this September, deliberately focuses on practical cooking skills and knowledge and less on food manufacturing processes, packaging and marketing.

• The 85% of secondary schools, which currently offer food technology and have their own teaching facilities, will be expected to have compulsory classes for all children from this September
• from September 2008, ministers have already announced all young people in the remaining schools not offering food technology, have a "licence to cook" if they want to, in after-school cooking clubs or neighbouring schools. Today's announcement extends this to all children
• around 800 new food technology teachers and teaching assistants will be trained through Initial Teacher Training over the next three years and another 150 teachers will enter the profession through employment-based routes. By the end of this March, 100 cookery teachers will have been recruited and trained to help schools which currently do not teach food technology

Today's announcement builds on the existing 'Food in Schools' programme, which was set up in 2001 so expert secondary food teachers can train primary colleagues to teach cooking and related areas such as healthy eating and food safety - with more than 4000 primary teachers trained by this March 2008 and 260 trained secondary teachers by the same date. The programme supports primary schools to work towards the healthy eating strand of Healthy Schools.

• The Government will target £2.5m a year to cover or subsidise the cost of cooking ingredients for pupils on free school meals to ensure that no child is disadvantaged
• all secondary schools will build or modernise good food technology equipment and facilities on their own site or to share at neighbouring schools or colleges
• the public are being asked to suggest which classic British and international main courses and puddings young people should be taught by emailing getcooking.consultation@dcsf.gsi.gov.ukThis will be published as a guide for schools.
• cooking will remain compulsory in primary schools - as part of Sir Jim Rose's comprehensive review of the primary curriculum announced earlier this month.

Related websites

• Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Opens new window
• Food Standards Agency Opens new window