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Every Tuesday, students in years 7 and 8 get together for an after-school cookery club to develop their skills in the kitchen.

“Cooking skills are as important as English and Maths in terms of life skills and setting you up for a healthy, happy life,” says food technology teacher Mr Drayson, who’s been running the club since the beginning of the year.

The club started with around five students but has now grown to around ten. “I’d like to learn to cook the way my mum cooks,” says Diago. “Once I was trying to cook on my own and it didn’t work that well because I’d never done it before so this is a big opportunity for me.”

Listen to what students say about Cookery Club and what they gain from it.

Independence

Mr Drayson puts its popularity down to the fact that all boys love eating and cookery is a break from time spent behind a desk. “They enjoy the cooking and have something to take home afterwards,” he added. Students are taught to be as independent as possible in the kitchen and learn to follow the recipe for themselves, with support if they need it, and wash up afterwards too.

This term the club has a ‘bake-off’ theme with recipes including mini carrot cakes, Dutch apple cake, muffins and marble pear tray break.

“I have an ambition for cooking, it relaxes me when I’m stressed,” says Anton. “And you get to have fun with your mates. Every Saturday when my parents go to work I make pancakes for my brother and sister so I wanted to develop my skills.”

Diago agrees. “In the future if you ever need to cook it’s a bad situation if you don’t know how to use anything.”

Cookery Club one of a wide range of after-school clubs at Harris Boys’ including handball, badminton, art, music technology, football, film and dance. 

Cookery Club show off their mini carrot cakes, made from scratch in around 80 minutes.

Listen to what students say about Cookery Club and what they gain from it.