Innovation In Education Award 2023
We are delighted to announce that Ibstock has won Talk Education's Innovation in Education Award 2023, within the Innovation in Nutrition and Food category.
Counting Nigella Lawson and Tilly Ramsay amongst alumni, Ibstock has a reputation for pupils who are passionate about food. The school’s bespoke in-house catering provision prides itself on sourcing the very best fresh seasonal ingredients for school meals.
Cornish-born Executive Chef Joshua Stevens is enthusiastic about British produce, championing fish that comes from harbour to school plate within 48 hours. ‘It reaches another level of connection when the fish is caught by people I went to school with’ says Stevens.
Underpinned by best practice and guidance, Ibstock aims to instil positive eating habits that will remain with pupils far beyond their school days. Our child-centric healthy eating programme is based upon four key principles of exposure, innovative menu planning, practical understanding of food and freedom of choice.
On the doorstep of Richmond Park, the school’s blossoming kitchen garden cultivates a range of herbs and vegetables used in the kitchen and cookery classes. The school’s beehives also produce their own unique honey blend used for salad dressings, roasted root vegetables and muffins. Through curriculum cookery classes, the School aims to equip its pupils with skills to prepare healthy meals, as well as deepening their understanding of sustainability and the provenance of their ingredients, with Senior school pupils taught kitchen knife skills mastery through to gnocchi from scratch.
Outside of the curriculum, Ibstock brings a sense of fun and innovation through food. Our popular Literary Baking Club, run by Head of English Dr Cairns sees pupils create a range of interesting bakes including Miss Havisham’s Wedding cake and Paddington Bear’s marmalade Loaf. To celebrate their victory in the Summer Reading Project, the winning class enjoyed a Mad Hatter’s themed tea party created by the catering team, which even included a ‘Drink Me’ potion made using the School’s own elderflowers. The Great Ibstock Bake Off was another highlight of 2023, in which teams of pupils competed for the prize of star baker, awarded by guest judges Amanda Holden, Simon Cowell and Chef Alyn Williams.
Upon receiving the award on behalf of Ibstock Place School, Executive Chef Josh Stevens said:
‘I feel very fortunate to work with such a wonderful and talented team here at Ibstock. I believe that we have created and developed something truly special here over the past 10 years and am honoured that our efforts have been recognised through this award for Innovation in Food & Nutrition.’
