Characteristics of good practice in teaching food and nutrition education to pupils with additional needs

This guide sets out a series of characteristics of good practice, determined via consensus with primary and secondary school practitioners, awarding organisation, initial teacher training providers, and experts in supporting pupils with additional needs across the UK, which can be adopted as part of a good practice approach by all those that teach food and nutrition to pupils with additional needs. The guide also considers the importance of developing skills for independent living and the world of work, especially within catering and hospitality.

The aim of this guide is to provide a perspective on teaching pupils with additional needs and:
• define the key characteristics of good practice that are specific to teaching food and nutrition to pupils with additional needs;
• exemplify these characteristics of good practice in UK schools, both special and mainstream;
• identify exemplary practice and the school staff who could take responsibility for leading or enabling the practice, e.g. governor/head teacher/senior leadership team; curriculum lead/coordinator; special needs coordinator (SENCo); or class teacher/teaching assistant;
• highlight the key features of achieving these characteristics, showing how these can be put into practice, with case studies and suggestion of how to develop these for the future;
• support teachers that teach pupils with additional needs, especially those that are newly qualified;
• enable practising teachers to audit their own practice, to plan and implement personal and professional development goals.

Laura Kelly, food and nutrition teacher, St Columbanus’ College, Bangor, Northern Ireland, says 'Knowing my pupils means that I can plan tailored lessons and ensure that, no matter what the topic, my pupils can achieve their full potential. This new guide is an invaluable resource for teachers as it clearly sets out what we need to aim for in terms of best practice for supporting pupils with additional needs.'

A free online course based on the guide is available here. 

Feedback on the online course includes: “It is brilliant to actually find and do food teacher training which caters for pupils with additional needs. Whilst doing this training new ideas were coming to mind for resources and activities. This course and associated resources are worth their weight in gold, and couldn't have come at a better time for food staff. Thank you.”

Resources to support teaching pupils with additional needs can be found in Pupils with additional needs area. 

Click on the following links or scroll down the page:

• Main guide
• Individual characteristics
• Practical food skills chart
• Reflection documents 
• Webinar recordings/resources