Kids Cookery School

The Kids’ Cookery School in Acton, West London has been established to provide opportunities for children to cook and learn about nutrition in a fun, safe and happy environment. It is a pilot scheme for a pioneering national project. We aim to show the nation that this kind of cookery school has an important and vital role to play in helping underprivileged children in communities throughout the country.

The school runs a wide range of cookery classes on site, including after-school and holiday sessions, as well as running an outreach programme, visiting local schools and playgroups.

It has a positive approach to social inclusion and is a fully accessible organisation that can accommodate children with special needs.

To promote and raise awareness of healthy eating through practical hands-on cookery sessions

What are the key objectives / expected outcomes the project is intended to achieve?

1. To equip our students with knowledge and practical experience in basic cookery and kitchen skills
2. To develop an understanding of the importance of a healthy balanced diet
3. To promote independence, raise confidence and develop new skills
4. To provide equality of access for all students wishing to attend KCS

Registered charity and Company limited by guarantee.

KCS works in partnership with local Surestart, schools, community groups, is part of the local NOF umbrella group, Education Business Partnership, Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and Single Regeneration Budget, and local authority initiatives such as healthy schools initiative and adult education.

KCS targets children from the ages of 3 – 16, specialising in working with children who are at risk from social exclusion, who have learning disabilities / special needs and those who speak English as a foreign language.

More recently we have started to work with adults with learning disabilities and asylum seekers.

Since KCS moved to its current site in 2000, it has seen over 7,000 students in total i.e. approximately 2,000 per year.

The numbers have increased steadily each year.

The initiative was the idea of the Principal & Chief Executive, Fiona Fairley-Hamilton. She has a passion for cookery and was dismayed to find out that her son would not learn to cook at primary school.

Fiona Fairley-Hamilton began teaching children to cook in her own home when she discovered her son would not be taught cooking skills at primary school. The cookery group started with a handful of children and rapidly grew.

The pilot was the initial cookery group at Fiona Fairley-Hamilton’s house. All parents were positive and the numbers steadily grew.

KCS became a charity in 1998. Premises were found in 1999 and after fundraising to the tune of £100,000, the school opened in April 2000.

Public liability insurance
Basic food hygiene training
First Aid training
Fire certificate
OFSTED registration
CRB checks for all members of staff

By word of mouth; media coverage; local community and youth groups; local schools, nurseries and playgroups; self-referral.

All students are accepted at KCS. We have a basic code of conduct, which we expect our students to follow.

Parental / carer approval if a student is under 16 years.

This depends upon type of class, which is being attended, and the funding available. Much of our work with schools, for example, is offered free of charge, but holiday workshops require a fee to attend. KCS has a policy, however, not to deny access because of financial constraints and we operate a sliding scale for contributions to those unable to afford full fees.

This varies according to the nature of the activity, but most classes last for 1¼ hours and workshops for 2 ½ hours. Other activities, such as teacher training, may last for a whole day or longer.

Classes and workshops take place every day at KCS. Private classes and workshops are run during all school holidays.

This depends upon the nature of the classes that the students attend. The London Open College Network course, for example, operates for 10 weeks. Our work with a local primary school operates on a "whole school" approach and 12 children each week will attend. Children who attend the after school club will come for one school term at a time. In our work with secondary schools, we generally see the same pupils for one school term and, if appropriate, for the whole academic year.

Each lesson is different and structured according to the ages and ability of the children. We regard flexibility as a key to our success. On a general basis, however, children will participate in a cookery session and take home the food, which they have prepared. They will also participate in a food therapy session / quiz at the end of the lesson.

All students take away the food they have prepared (unless they eat it on the premises).

Follow-up will vary according to the course but may include end-of-day review sheets, questionnaires, photographic material, and taped follow-up interviews with students.

Students on the London Open College Network course are required to build up a portfolio of evidence of their work.

We believe students get a great deal of enjoyment, a sense of achievement and pride out of preparing their own food. They also enjoy learning about different types of food and methods of cooking.

In terms of health and safety, we can only take a maximum of 12 children in the kitchen at any one time.

At all times there are 2 members of staff in the kitchen with the students and never less than 3 members of staff on site.

KCS has five full-time paid employees, 2 part-time employees (who work specifically with the NOF funded project) and a number of committed volunteers.

With the exception of our volunteers and part-time employees, who tend to work one day a week, all other members work 37 ½ hours a week. In addition, some staff may be required to work on a Saturday or evening and the Chief Executive attends meetings as and when required.

All staff are trained in site health and safety, basic first aid and fire drill training.

Additional training includes the Food Hygiene Certificate course, with one of the cookery teachers having achieved Advanced level, which will enable her to teach others.

Teaching staffs have also attended courses in working with special needs children and also in assertiveness.

The charity is funded by external grants from a variety of sources comprising charitable trusts, foundations and funds. Donations are made by companies and private individuals, including "celebrity chefs". Other funds are raised through fundraising events and income generating activities.

Sponsorship from Waitrose
Children’s birthday parties – revenue from participants’ fees
School holiday programme – revenue from participants’ fees

Is the current funding continuous and sustainable or guaranteed only for a limited period of time?

All grants are time-limited

During school holidays, KCS runs classes and workshops for private clients, which helps generate income to support the activities of the organisation.

On average, £22.50 per 1¼ hour session

We would like to develop more private income generating activities / products.
We would also investigate corporate sponsorship.

We have a good relationship with all of our funders, but the level of reporting required, for what, are in comparison to others, small amounts of money, can be time-consuming.

What do you consider are the essential physical resources required for the project activities?

a) Type of venue:
KCS now occupies purpose-designed premises which is essential to allow access to those with special needs

b) Facilities:
Must be fully accessible for those with special needs. One of the kitchen modules, for example, moves up and down to accommodate wheelchair users.

c) Equipment:
Equipment must be child-friendly and easy to use.

Specially designed equipment for special needs is important.

d) Other materials:
Fresh food ingredients
Aprons

e) Training materials:
None specified

What "luxury" resources would you recommend (e.g. any specialised equipment, training support materials) which either have or would enhance the project?

Larger premises with more space to accommodate kitchen (and therefore more students) and increased office space.

KCS has been operating since 1995, but moved to its existing premises in 2000.

As long as it can be sustained. We hope to roll out KCS and open other cookery schools throughout the country.

Short term:
End of day review and assessment sheets
Verbal / written feedback from students
Number of students attending, number of return students

Long term:
Evidence of:
- Change in behaviour e.g. eating habits, concentration and all-round health.
- Students demonstrating a greater understanding of a healthy balanced diet
- Self-sufficiency in the kitchen

To target those with special needs – currently 30% of students have special needs
50:50 ratio of boys to girls attending
Total numbers of students participating

What are your feelings about the project so far?

It is successful and has the potential to expand. There is a need for more Kids Cookery Schools particularly in view of the current concerns regarding obesity, health and healthy eating.

Having seen 7,000 children who have enjoyed their experience at KCS
Maintaining an exceptional health and safety record
Winning one of the Guardian Charity of the Year Awards 2002
Being a fully accessible organisation who can accommodate children with special needs

To expand into other areas in the country.

Funding is a major issue.

It is an ongoing battle to raise funds to continue to run KCS. KCS is looking for ways to become sustainable and less reliant on grants and donations.

Ensure that you have adequate knowledge about running a cookery school and working with children.

Carry out risk assessments and make sure that health and safety standards are high. Make sure you meet standards / registrations required by local authority etc.

Keep up-to-date with staff training.

If you intend to apply for charitable status, be aware that it takes time and a lot of paperwork.

Try to establish your organisation, and become known, by networking and on the basis of good practice with the relevant agencies, but be prepared for this to take time.

KCS can move forward and expand with the help of government and corporate sponsors.

Name: Fiona Hamilton-Fairley
Job Title: Principal & Chief Executive
OrganisationThe Kids’ Cookery School
Address:
107 Gunnersbury Lane,
Acton, London,
W3 8HQ
Phone No: 0208 992 8882
Fax No: 0208 992 7770

Email: info@thekidscookeryschool.co.uk
Website Address: www.thekidscookeryschool.co.uk