Boys will get cookery lessons (From Oxford Mail)

Boys will get cookery lessons

12:20pm Sunday 21st March 2010 in

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SECONDARY school boys in Didcot will be taught to cook at school for the first time next year.

St Birinus School has secured £300,000 of Government money to build a new food technology suite, and has submitted a planning application to South Oxfordshire District Council.

Headmaster Chris Bryan, who will retire in the summer, says the unit should be open by the end of the year.

He said: “The Government decided that every secondary school should be offering food technology, and made available £300,000 grants for any school with no facilities at all.

“We have never been able to offer it in the past, but as a result of this, we will have a purpose-built food technology laboratory.

“It will be the first time that food technology has been available in St Birinus, so we are really excited.”

He added: “This is something we have wanted to do for a long, long time. It has simply been a matter of cost why we have not been able to do this so far, so this grant is good news.

“In terms of life skills, it is really important that we promote healthy eating and enable young people to learn how to look after themselves.”

All 11- to 14-year-olds at the school will learn food technology from January 2011. The new block will be built on to the history building.