Pupils get a taste of life around the world (From Gazette & Herald)

Kirkbymoorside Primary School pupils get a taste of life around the world

10:32am Wednesday 17th October 2012 in News By Karen Darley

PUPILS at Kirkbymoorside Primary School have embarked on a project to explore different cultures through the medium of food.

The school has established a partnership with Siddhartha Vidya Sadan Higher Secondary School in Kathmandu, Nepal, with children from both countries looking at their own traditional food in relation to social and global issues.

Deputy headteacher Alison Priestley said they would look at the importance of food and family life, along with sustainability and equality.

“The project is organised through Global School Partnerships, and is funded through UKaid from the Department of International Development,” she said.

“The purpose of this organisation is to promote global education through curriculum development, enhanced learning, commitment to professional development, young people taking up responsibility as global citizens and enduring, inspiring partnership relationships.”

As part of the project, a group of teachers from Nepal spent a week working with pupils at Kirkbymoorside Primary School, which will be followed by Mrs Priestley travelling to Kathmandu later this month to learn about their school and culture.

Mrs Priestley said the focus of their project was sharing of cultures and exploring the diversity through the medium of food.

“Availability, access and variability in quality of food affects both our schools in very different ways and we hope that by working and learning together the children will gain a greater understanding of how their food choices have an impact, not just on their health, but on the environment,” she said.

“We are hoping that our children will become ‘food explorers’ and investigate a number of topics including food served at celebrations and festival, through which we will learn about the celebrations and festivals themselves and seasonal produce, how this varies between our two countries.”

Mrs Priestley said they would also look at how families share food and mealtimes, looking at diversity and similarities.

“This is an important and exciting project for the school with the children in both schools looking at food in their own country and then at issues surrounding their topic in relation to social and global issues,” she said.