Presentation from Amanda Donnely at the NEFF event in Durham 22nd May 2013

1. Food growing in schools as part of a
broader food education programme
Amanda Donnelly
FFLP Commissioning Manager (North of England)
Food for Life Partnership

2. This presentation will cover..
• The findings of an evaluation of the
impact of growing food in schools as
part of a broader food education
programme
• Why food growing is important, not only
for health, but also for education,
sustainability and community
participation
• School farmers markets –a case study
from Durham
• How food growing is developed in FFLP
commissioned areas

3. A little bit of FFLP background
• FFLP is a complex
community food initiative.
• Food growing is a significant
part of the FFLP framework
(along with cooking, farm
visits, improving school
food, engaging community
in food activities….)

4. Evaluation of food growing in schools
• FFLP commissioned the Centre
for Research in Education and the
Environment (CREE) at the
University of Bath to undertake a
study of food growing in FFLP
schools
• The aim was to understand the
impact of food growing in schools
when delivered as part of a wider
food education programme i.e.
FFLP

5. Evaluation of food growing in schools
Much of the positive impact of food growing
has been seen only through observation and
anecdotes from schools.
This research shows the diverse benefits of
food growing in schools, and highlights the
development of important evidence in this
area.
Research Team:
Elisabeth Barratt Hacking (Project Director)
William Scott (Professor)
Elsa Lee (Research Officer)

6. The Food for Life Partnership

7. Methodology
• Case study method
• Nine schools (Primary,
Secondary, Special)
• Across the nine English regions
• School visits and site surveys
• Document analysis (e.g.Ofsted)
• E-Consultations
• Telephone interviews
• Focus groups with pupils,
teachers, parents and other
stakeholders
Findings: Five key impact areas

8. 1. Acquiring practical skills and
knowledge
• Practical food-related skills
• Inspirational learning
• Enterprise and vocational skills
• Social and interpersonal skills
• Holistic knowledge,
understanding and awareness

9. 2. Understanding and appreciating
the environment
• Teaching pupils to care
• Inspiring change
• Living more sustainably
-schools reported less food
waste. Pupils, parents, carers,
and staff started to grow at
home and make changes to
sourcing food, cooking, and
waste at home

10. 3. Improving health and wellbeing
• Adopting a healthy diet
-school meals and menus were reported to have
improved in the schools
• Encouraging physical activity
• Restoring a sense of calm
• Building confidence
• Providing a complete picture of food

11. 4. Encouraging positive values and
behaviours
• Engaging pupils
• Inspiring a positive attitude
• Teaching a sense of responsibility
• Fostering a caring role
• Improving relationships
• Preparing for the future

12. 5. Increasing participation in school
and the wider community
• Removing barriers
• Giving pupils a voice
• Contributing to the community
• Learning with and from the
local community
• Involving others

13. Optimising the impact of food
growing in schools
The researchers noted the following elements
that are essential for schools to get the most out
of food growing:
•Develop a whole school ethos
•Establish multi-skilled leadership
•Integrate learning
•Include everyone

14. School Farmers Markets
Also uses food to lead to a number of benefits……
•We have sourced European funding to implement a
programme to develop school farmers markets with
several schools in East Durham
•Three recent markets made between £819 and
£1077
•300+parents in the first 20 minutes at one market!
•The project has included farm visits, butcher visit,
enterprise skills, partnerships with local producers
•A great way to support local producers and provide
educational benefits

15. How food growing is developed in
FFLP commissioned areas
• Training of school staff
• Steering group engaging local partners
• Building capacity and partnerships
• Focus on embedded change through
leadership in schools
• Flexibility to meet local needs, e.g. compost
and food growing training for school cooks
Horticulture is on the draft curriculum review
–will there be a greater need for training?

16. Wider FFLP Evaluation
• 3-year programme evaluation by the University of the West of
England (UWE) and Cardiff University
• Supporting studies by New Economics Foundation (NEF),
National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) and
Centre for Research in Education and the Environment (CREE)

17. Greater than the sum of its parts
“Analyses of student characteristics show
statistically significant associations between
healthy eating and FFLP related behaviours –
such as participation in cooking and growing
at school or at home; participation in farm
and sustainable food learning; and attitudes
to school food.”
- Orme et al, 2011, p.107

18. Thank you!
Amanda Donnelly
Food for Life Partnership
adonnelly@soilassociation.org