Teaching Primary Food and Nutrition

Welcome to the Teaching Primary Food and Nutrition (TPFN) programme, which has been developed to equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to teach high quality food and nutrition lessons, and inspire you to champion a whole school approach to food.

TPFN is a self-directed Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme just for you, the busy primary teacher or teaching assistant. While teaching food and nutrition may take-up a relatively small part of the curriculum, it does have some unique management issues and teaching approaches which need to be carefully considered, for example, managing and teaching practical cooking classes.

Through this programme, the overall aim is to build your confidence and competence in teaching food and nutrition, whether you are new to the profession, or have been teaching, or working in schools, for a while (we can all learn something new). This programme formalises and supports professional learning around food and nutrition teaching.

How does it work?

• Register for the programme
• Complete a short knowledge and skills audit based on eight areas of practice, e.g. teaching the curriculum, running practical food activities/lessons and developing food skills
• Write your personal development plan
• Undertake planned activities and training, including the online training provided by the British Nutrition Foundation
• Reflect on what you have done
• Keep a record of what you have done and celebrate your successes!

What have primary educators said about the TPFN programme?

“I believe that being part of the TPFN programme improved my chances of being offered a role in school. I took my printed TPFN binder with me to the interview and it gave me something to show and talk about, demonstrating initiative and a willingness to develop myself beyond the PGCE course.  It also gave me something extra that I could bring to the school and champion.”
Chloe, PGCE graduate 2023

"Absolutely loving having a training programme such as this, it is so useful for effective teaching and learning and for assessing pupils."
Registered TPFN member

"The TPFN programme will be really useful for helping us to work towards our Healthy Schools Award."
Registered TPFN teacher

"Some really useful tips that will enhance current practice immensely."
Running practical food activities webinar attendee

Register now and receive a free Professional Portfolio - a place for you to gather everything you need to plan, implement and evidence your learning journey!

Take a look at our short presentation to find out more! 

The British Nutrition Foundation gratefully acknowledges the support of the All Saints Educational Trust in the development of this programme (enabling it to be provided free of charge to UK primary schools).