Leiths Academy provides schools with a range of cookery courses which they can deliver, whether they have cookery departments or no facilities at all. Courses are for different age groups from Key Stage One (KS1) pupils aged five to seven, to Key Stage Five (KS5) pupils aged 16 to 18. They include both life skill and accredited cookery qualifications, supported by lesson plans, student notes, fully tested recipes and step-by-step skills videos. For older pupils, the Level 3 accredited course can help them pursue careers in the hospitality and catering industry.
Alistair Turner, Head of Teaching and Learning at Leiths Academy, says, “As experienced teachers ourselves, we recognise that every school is different, so our courses have been designed to be flexible.”
Career Professional Development (CPD) sessions
All courses are delivered by school staff through an interactive digital portal, which also allows access to teacher and student resources such as skills videos. For KS4 and KS5 courses, teachers from Leiths Academy mark coursework, exams, and run Career Professional Development (CPD) sessions for staff. Prices of courses vary according to the number of students and the type of course.
For primary schools, courses consist of 17 classroom lessons for Key Stage One and 15 for Key Stage Two with accompanying recipes. Linked to the curriculum, the lessons focus on several themes – diet, provenance, food preparation and handling, food safety and labelling.
The recipes, taught via a step-by-step 50 minute video, have been designed to work in a classroom or ‘pop up’ kitchen in a school hall. Most recipes are heat-free but sometimes use a plug-in induction hob or oven.Examples of recipes include Pea, Basil and Tomato Bruschetta; Greek Salad Pittas; Vegetable Laksa and Lime Cheesecake Pots.
Alistair Turner, Head of Teaching and Learning at Leiths Academy, says
“Schools with no cooking facilities can do the KS1 and KS2 courses as they include recipes that don’t require heat or much equipment. If a school is considering introducing cookery facilities, we can advise them on how best to upgrade or transform spaces.”
For secondary schools, Leiths Academy offers life skills and accredited cookery courses, with accreditation
by the Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality (CTH).
The CTH Level 2 Certificate in Culinary Skills is a practical alternative to GCSE Food and Nutrition and is suitable for students in Years 10 and 11. In this course, food preparation skills are combined with themes such as seasonality, sustainability and cultural influences. It also helps students secure weekend and holiday jobs in the restaurant and hospitality sector.
Examples of recipes taught include rigatoni with chorizo and sage, soy glazed salmon with hot pickled carrots, courgette ribbon salad and crispy noodles, and banana and Rolo ‘melting middle’ cakes.
The CTH Level 3 Extended Certificate in Professional Cookery, a sixth form A level style course, can help students forge a career in hospitality, as successful students are eligible to apply for career advice. For students wishing to go to university, it also helps with UCAS applications. It is a five-term course based on 46 core weeks of practical menus which will develop a variety of culinary skills. This includes making fresh pasta and choux pastry and recipes such as hand cut tagliatelle with pizziola sauce
and cinnamon beignets with an apple compote.
Visit https://leiths.com/academy/ for more information on how your school can get involved.
