About Adopt a School

The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts’ Adopt A School Trust was founded in 1990. We are a national UK charity that incorporates both Adopt a School and Hospitality in Schools.

Our vision is that every child learns about food in a holistic sense and has the confidence to eat well, be healthy and happy.

The Adopt a School programme helps children to develop healthy eating habits and encourages an enthusiasm and interest in food, cooking, food provenance and sustainability, as well as giving an insight into the hospitality industry.

Chefs and hospitality professionals deliver our high quality food education programme in primary schools across the country, but also in youth clubs, holiday clubs and on farms. We have devised a course of one session per term delivered to the same year group. The lessons are designed to teach children the basics of food and cookery without the need for cooking facilities – which most primary schools lack.

We also deliver our ‘Chef on the Farm’ sessions which aims to to provide children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to visit the local countryside and a working farm and we equip them with basic cooking skills delivered by a professional chef, based on local and seasonal produce. These visits not only have an impact on the children, but they also inspire teachers to embed food and farming education and outdoor learning further into their teaching. An important part of the day is the children sitting down together to share their meal.

What our schools say

  • “The class has really benefited from Adopt a School. We have a high percentage of children in receipt of free school meals, so this was especially beneficial for them.”

    Teacher, Wallands Primary School

  • “These sessions provide opportunities for me, as a teacher, to find the cross curricular links and encourage the children to apply the learning of the skills and knowledge in other areas of the curriculum.”

    Teacher, Flash Ley Primary School

  • “Our children absolutely loved the sessions. They're still talking about them now! We had lots of photos sent in of the children making bread at home."

    Georgia Young, Teacher, Oakfield Primary Academy

  • "The children got to practise listening to instructions and waiting for their turn. The session also supported their mathematical understanding of measuring and seeing how maths can be used in day to day life.”

    Georgia Young, Teacher, Oakfield Primary Academy

  • “Your programme is inspirational. The knowledge children gain and the pride they feel in creating their own food is something that builds on their life skills for the future.”

    Teacher, Warstones Primary School

FAQs

  • Adopt a School programme is based on a chef and/or hospitality professional volunteering their time to visit 1 local primary school ideally 3 times per school year, preferably once per term, to deliver a range of sessions including taste and sensory, practical cookery, breadmaking and front of house. The idea is that the chef/hospitality professional works with one year group and a long term relationship with the school is encouraged.

    Where there is not a volunteer chef available or you would like a visit sooner, we can offer sessions delivered by one of our qualified and experienced professional Adopt a School chefs. For this option, there would be a cost involved but we keep this as low as possible. Significant discounts are available for multiple sessions or classes.

  • To register your interest in the Adopt a School programme, please complete our online registration form.

  • Yes, our volunteer chefs are based all over the country.

    Our Adopt A School chef team cover the West Midlands, the North West, London and Sussex.

  • Usually Year 4 or Year 5, however we can discuss sessions for other years groups if this is of interest.

    The chef will deliver three sessions in an academic year to one year group which includes a taste and sensory session and practical sessions which will involve food preparation.

  • The chef will deliver three sessions in an academic year, usually one per term.

  • If we are able to match you with a volunteer chef, sessions are cost-free although we do ask for a contribution of £2 per child.

    Where there is not a volunteer chef available or you would like a visit sooner, particularly if you are based in the North West, West Midlands, London and Sussex, we can offer sessions delivered by one of our experienced professional Adopt a School chefs. For this option, there is a cost, which we try to keep as low as possible.

  • We are always looking for more volunteer chefs!

    To ensure the quality of the programme, we do require anyone wanting to deliver the Adopt a School programme to attend one of our regular afternoon training sessions. For more information, please get in touch with our office on 020 8673 6300 or email adoptaschool@raoca.org.uk.

“Children need to re-connect with their food and Adopt A School is the model that should be used for their future”.

— His Majesty King Charles III at Adopt A School’s 20th Anniversary event.

OUR SPONSORS

The Adopt a School programme would not be made possible without the generous support of our sponsors and funders for specific projects.