Food Technology Trends in Schools

The days of Domestic Science and Home Economics have long since passed, and the aim of a modern Food Technology Environment is to widen the appeal of education in essential life skills for all students.

The subject is no longer just about food preparation and cooking, nor is it aimed at equipping students for a future career in catering although it can go a long way in stimulating interest in such a path.

Food Technology encompasses health, hygiene, nutrition, and food science as well as food preparation. Whilst a specialist subject, Food Technology can and should provide an opportunity for cross-curricular learning.

To that end, the environment needs to be flexible to facilitate planning, designing, evaluation, preparation, and realization. There need to be areas for research, group discussion and for interaction.

More than many subjects, Food Technology teachers tend not to operate from behind a fixed single teaching position, although facilities for demonstration and whole class address are needed as well as to make presentations to smaller student groups.

 The ability for the teacher to move around the whole room and to access every student, quickly easily and safely is important. Generous circulation area and optimum multi-use worktop space with easy access to food preparation equipment should be factored into any design. Narrow gangways often resulting from uniform forward facing bench rows which create inaccessible and potentially dangerous areas within a room are to be avoided.

Flexibility in Food Tech facilities design does not readily equate to moveable furniture because like other subjects such as Science and DT, there are important health and safety considerations associated with the need for dedicated safe areas for specific activities which involve the use of electricity, gas, boiling liquids and very hot equipment.

Modern, less formal, highly space efficient fitted furniture arrangements can be combined with cookers, hobs, and ovens. The use of an easy to clean, seamlessly joined, durable, repairable, multi-use and attractive work surface such a Corian can provide a highly flexible and inspiring Food Technology area with the widest possible appeal to all students. 

Mike Serridge is Managing Director at S+B UK, one of the UK’s longest established and leading specialists in the design, manufacture, and installation of laboratory furniture, fume cupboards, and associated services.

Ongoing investment in the development of high specification, functional, innovative design with student appeal at its core has resulted in  S+B being awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise. This award is the UK’s highest accolade for business success with winners selected by the Prime Minister’s office and approved by Her Majesty the Queen.

If you would like more information on STEM and other furniture systems provided by S+B please visit www.splusb.co.uk or contact Mike at mike_serridge@splusb.co.uk. Alternatively, check out their Twitter, Facebook and Youtube pages.