A class of 5 and 6 year old pupils in Year 1 at Baglan Primary School were given the chance to touch and taste a variety of species common to Wales, including prawns, cockles and mussels, which were all donated by Morrisons in Baglan, before making some mackerel pate. The session was led by Dr Leanne Llewellyn, a local mum, fish enthusiast and also Science Leader for the Welsh Government’s Marine and Fisheries Department.
The visit aims to complement the education work carried out by Fish is the Dish, the consumer and education face of Seafish, to encourage children and young people to eat more seafood.
They have developed a new education resource pack that supports primary school teachers to deliver healthy eating lessons and it has been made available to every primary school in Wales. The new cross-curricular resource, for children aged 5-7 years, supports cooking and tasting activities and looks at different species of fish as part of a healthy balanced diet.
It contains a teachers’ guide including curriculum links and six lesson plans, workbooks, stickers and posters for children to use at school and home. It is supported by online resources, including easy recipes, peer to peer learning via cooking videos, cross-curricular worksheets, presentations and interactive whiteboard activities.
Mr Chris Atkins, who teaches the class at Baglan Primary School, said: “It is important to create a stimulating environment for children to learn and a practical lesson such as today’s session with seafood is a great way to teach them about what they are eating. Understanding nutrition and eating well from an early age is vital if we want to ensure our children grow up healthy and happy.”
Dr Holly Whiteley, Wales Project Manager at Seafish, said: “The education packs have gone down a storm so far and we encourage any seafood business in Wales to get in touch with their local primary school about setting up similar sessions. We want to help children develop a positive attitude to eating fish so that it becomes the norm for them as they grow older.”
The education pack is available to download free.
