Academic : Food and Nutrition

We are particularly proud of our well-equipped, funky red Food Room and here our girls are given the opportunity to learn not only how to cook - well - but to cook thoughtfully by paying particular attention to nutritional needs versus cost and the consumer's impact on the environment.

Food and Nutrition lessons (not to be confused with the less practical Food Technology offered elsewhere) form part of the standard curriculum from Prep 6 - Year 9. Girls in these year groups have Food lessons for half the year with the other half of the year attend IT lessons (Prep 6) and Textiles lessons (Years 7-9).

Each girl has a dedicated cooker, food preparation area and washing up facilities. Dishes range from healthy sandwiches and homemade burgers in Prep 6 to fruit salads and cakes in Year 7 to stir fries and pasta bakes in Year 8 and finally to the study of a celebrity chef in Year 9 with fairly independent choice of rather advanced menus.

Day Girls bring in their own ingredients whilst boarders can either go shopping themselves or else the teacher will buy the ingredients and the cost added to the school bill. The great news for parents is that family-size portions can be made - so you get a night off duty once in a while. And yes, the girls' boarding 'family' tucks in too!

After Year 9 the subject is optional for GCSE and A level study. You do not necessarily need to have studied it before to take it up at A level. It is a very popular subject and rests easily alongside other practical subjects (e.g. art and textiles) as well as those taking sciences. We currently have a future midwife and nutritionist taking the subject at A level whilst another A level student will be going to the Royal College of Music. Clearly the practicality and dexterity of the subject is transferable!