Last week, our Year 9 and 10 students sharpened their fish food skills by attending a Fish In Schools Hero programme masterclass delivered by Simon Gray, from the Food Teachers Centre. St Cenydd was selected as just one of 10 schools through the UK to host a masterclass.

The programme aims to ensure that every child gets a chance to prepare, cook and eat fish before they leave school and to train food teachers to be confident in preparing and cooking fish with students. The programme provides incredible life-long learning experiences for thousands of pupils across the UK.

It was a great opportunity for our students to be introduced to different types of fish, as well as talk about health and sustainability. In pairs, students filleted and cooked delicious, pan-fried gurnard fillets with a chorizo and chickpea ragu. While some students are hesitant at the start, once they start to cook they enjoy the experience and happily consume what they cook! Our students really demonstrated their food skills, creating and cooking delicious dishes. It was a fantastic experience for everyone involved.

Simon Gray, Senior Associate at the Food Teachers Centre said, “It is so satisfying to see young people prepare, cook and taste different fish - and with such enthusiasm. By giving them the skills, and talking about the use of fish, it seems that we can have an impact. They are proud of what they cook - and quite rightly so!”

Mrs Ryder said “It was a fantastic experience for our pupils and gave them the chance to see a wide variety of fish, rather than just looking at it in a text book. Some of our pupils were very nervous to begin with, but they soon got stuck in, quite literally when gutting the fish! They produced excellent dishes which any restaurant would be proud to serve!”

Simon taught students about fishing quotas, sustainable fishing and different fishing methods. Meanwhile, a wide array of beautiful fish, which we received free of charge as part of the programme, was laid out on display. He showed the students each fish in turn, telling them how they are sourced and how best to prepare them. Fish in Schools Hero is a programme free for schools, delivered by a partnership between the Food Teachers Centre and the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust.

A big thank you to everyone involved. Our students had a unique Masterclass experience and really made the most from the opportunity. We’re looking forward to seeing how St Cenydd students use all they have learned from the sessions in the future.