Minister for Early Education Visits Woodmansterne School

A government minister has visited a south London school known for its chef-led kitchens and scratch-cooked meals to see how schools can raise standards in school food.

Olivia Bailey, Minister for Early Education, visited Woodmansterne School in Streatham on World Book Day to meet the school’s kitchen team and learn how high-quality meals are produced for pupils each day. Executive Headteacher Samantha Palin provided a memorable welcome dress as Gandalf the wizard for the occasion.

Working with Chefs In Schools

The school works with the charity Chefs in Schools, which supports schools to embed a whole school approach to food, with professional chefs cooking fresh meals from scratch. Founded in 2018, Chefs in Schools supports schools across England and Wales with hands-on kitchen training and whole-school food culture programmes designed to help chefs serve nutritious meals children genuinely enjoy.

Head Chef Jacob Taylo said “seeing our pupils enjoy fresh, scratch-cooked meals every day is incredibly rewarding. At Woodmansterne, we don’t just feed children, we aim to inspire them, showing that school food can be exciting, nutritious and a central part of school life.”

During the visit, Bailey toured the school kitchen, speaking with chefs about menu development, ingredient sourcing and the practical challenges of delivering nutritious meals within tight school budgets. The kitchen team also discussed how they adapt dishes to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, ensuring every child can access nutritious meals.

Olivia Bailey, Minister for Early Education said:

“This government has a clear mission to give every child the best start in life and create the healthiest generation of children in our history. It was brilliant to see the impact of the work happening at Woodmansterne with Chefs in Schools to serve healthy meals while inspiring children to take an interest in food and nutrition. We have a vision to see this best practice across the board, which is why we are rolling out free breakfast clubs and will be updating our school food standards to deliver high quality, healthy food in every school.”

Naomi Duncan, Chief Executive of Chefs in Schools, said the visit highlighted the important role of professional kitchen skills in transforming school food. “It was a pleasure to show the Minister the skills and creativity of the school chefs at Woodmansterne, who produce fantastic meals for children every day. When schools commit to training up and supporting kitchens teams, the difference in quality and culture is clear.”