Page 77 - Issue 112 May-June 2021

Healthy foods About the author Frances Meek is the Senior Education Officer for the British Nutrition Foundation. nutrition.org.uk British Nutrition Foundation The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) was incorporated 21 February 1967 and is a registered charity in England and Wales (number 251681) and in Scotland (number SC040061). They were privileged to have HRH The Princess Royal as their Patron. BNF’s vision is ‘Everyone can access healthy, sustainable diets’ and it is contributing towards this through its Mission ‘Translating evidence-based nutrition science in engaging and actionable ways’. In all aspects of our work, they aim to generate and communicate clear, accurate, accessible information on nutrition, diet and lifestyle, which is impartial and relevant to the needs of diverse audiences, in particular the general public, the media, academia/ researcher, schools, health professionals, and food and beverage companies. The Foundation’s education programme, Food – a fact of life, has been a dedicated and highly valued school resource since 1991 – and in 2021 they will be celebrating their 30th anniversary. The programme provides up-to-date and curriculum compliant information for children aged 3- to 16-years. They also provide in-service training for teachers. 77 ■ Fruit! and keep healthy. We also believe that all pupils should be given the opportunity to achieve to the best of their capability, maximising opportunities for independent living and work. The guide, now available, aims to provide a perspective on teaching food and nutrition to pupils with special educational needs: • define the key characteristics of good practice that are specific to SEND; • 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; • highlight the key features of achieving these characteristics, showing how these can be put into practice, with case studies and suggestions of how to develop these for the future; • support trainee, newly qualified and practising teachers. How can it be used? The guide can be used in a variety of ways, such as: • ensuring that the teaching of food and nutrition is pupil centred and is appropriate for a pupil’s own learning journey; • developing pupil’s skills for independent living and the world of work, especially in ‘food’; • showcasing practice through defined characteristics; • promoting lifelong personal and professional development, helping individuals to audit their knowledge and skill-set; • developing the management of food and nutrition teaching; • acknowledging the role of the teacher in the whole school approach to health and wellbeing. The guide will be freely available to teachers across the UK to download from our Food – a fact of life website, along with a free online course. foodafactoflife.org.uk senmagazine.co.uk SEN112