Read on to find out how the Adopt a School programme works in a typical primary school setting.
For secondary schools, colleges and other settings—including SEN schools, hospital schools, youth clubs and local community projects—please contact our team.
Who can volunteer with Adopt a School?
What is the time commitment?
The time commitment for Adopt a School Chefs volunteer training, school onboarding, programme delivery and reporting.
Training
As part of the charity’s ongoing digital transformation, we are currently in the process of transitioning to on-demand training resources, to be accessed by volunteers online and followed up “live” in schools where real sessions are taking place. The process Development phase, pilot phase
Initial online training – An on-demand pathway for new volunteers will explain in detail how each session is delivered. Up to three hours, completed flexibly at each volunteer’s own pace.
Initial in-person training – Each new volunteer will then sign up to shadow a real-life session being delivered in a school. A roughly three-hour commitment, morning. Make a firm commitment in advance to attend on a specific date.
Ongoing online learning – The same bitesize content for delivering the core programme will be available to all returning volunteers. This will serve as optional refresher training. Further themed resources will guide volunteers who are ready to adapt and extend the programme at their school. Essential programme updates will be highlighted. Up to one hour per year.
School onboarding
The main feature of this stage is a pre-visit to the school, made in person by at least one of the volunteers who’ll be ‘adopting’ the school. Three aims:
Meet the key members of staff who’ll be your contacts at the school. Usually meeting a senior leader (e.g., Headteacher) who may also introduce to subject leads and class teachers at .
Discuss session content, timetabling options and details each visit to run smoothly.
Experience the school in person: find the school reception area; understand parking arrangements and the size and layout of the classrooms; put faces to the names of the people you’ll
The quality of this meeting can often determine the amount of admin needed later. Up to 90 minutes X. Part of the commitment is to be in regular email communication with the school, ready to commit to dates and respond to X. Teachers are very busy and they need to be organised: a typical Headteacher can know weeks in advance what they’re doing at 2pm on the first day back after summer half term.
The volunteer has a school in mind they’d like to adopt. Often a personal connection e.g., a child who attends the school or a family member who teaches there. or identified as being close to where they live or work.
For those without a school to nominate, we operate a waiting list of interested schools and we can also research potential schools on behalf of a volunteer.
Programme delivery
The average Adopt a School Chef makes three half-day visits to their school each year. We are continuously exploring different models for delivering the programme than can make the time commitment realistic for people in the industry.
Each full cycle of the programme can be delivered across an academic year, a school term, or even a series close dates. We see lots of timetabling variations working in schools, including sessions combined into fewer visits. The “right” arrangement is the one that works for the the volunteer and their school, and we support bespoke arrangements that can allow the programme to reach more children.
Reporting and evaluation
What are the costs for volunteers?
X
What is the cost for schools?
The amount we ask each school to contribute towards the running of the programme depends on the type of chef they receive: a Volunteer Chef, or a Regional Chef.
Volunteer Chefs take time out of the industry to deliver sessions at one (occasionally more) ‘adopted’ school each year.
They offer their time to schools free of charge, covering direct costs such as travel and ingredients as part of their contribution towards the programme.
Volunteers often team up with colleagues to adopt larger schools together, or to deliver to multiple year groups within the same school. They’re trained and ready to deliver our core programme (Taste and Sensory, Knife Skills, plus a third session). Many volunteers return to their school year after year—adapting the programme, offering additional activities—and become a valued member of the school community.
Contribution for schools in 2026-27:
£3 per child per academic year (equivalent to £1 per child per session)
Regional Chefs are employed and resourced by the Adopt a School Trust via the generous support of our programme sponsors.
Together, our Regional Chef Team delivers the programme to more than 150 schools per year. They also train and support Volunteer Chefs in schools, particularly where volunteers are new to delivering the programme.
Regional Chefs are ready to deliver our core programme in schools. They’re also ready to discuss any additional or bespoke sessions that can build immediately on these foundations, such as practical cookery, ingredient masterclasses and curriculum-themed activities.
Contribution for schools in 2026-27:
From £3 per child per session (based on individual session requirements)
What is the contribution for?
Our Volunteer Chefs are incredibly generous in offering their time and other resources to schools free of charge. A minimal school contribution is also required to help cover direct costs for the charity, such as a hat and apron for each child.
The contribution for our Regional Chefs goes further, helping to cover additional programme costs such as planning, preparation and ingredients for each session; travel expenses; cooking equipment and equipment maintenance.
Which areas of the UK are covered?
Founded by the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts in 1990, the Adopt a School Trust is a small national charity with an ambitious UK programme that is continuously expanding its reach.
Our Regional Chefs are currently based in London and the South East; Sussex; Birmingham and the West Midlands; Liverpool and the North West.
Our Volunteer Chefs register their interest from all over the country, and much of our work involves connecting trained volunteers with senior leaders who’d like to roll out the progamme at their school. Equally, if you request a chef for your school and none is available, it may be possible for us to recruit a new volunteer in your area.
Contact the Team
Email us: adoptaschool@royalacademyofculinaryarts.org.uk
Call us: 07887 437 359