Trent College: Great Trent Bake-Off 2024
Year 5 pupils from two partner state schools each joined us for a morning workshop to take part in our Great Trent Bake-Off 2024.
The children all designed, made, and decorated their own batch of six fabulous summer-themed cupcakes, in our newly built Food & Nutrition suite.
They all left with something delicious to eat, having acquired new baking and icing skills, choosing between tricky techniques involving the use of fondant, butter-cream or royal icing - or maybe all 3!
Prizes were awarded for those that followed the summer theme, while using and demonstrating finesse in their decorating techniques.
Aims
The aim of the partnership was to give the visiting Year 5 children the opportunity to enhance their curriculum by using our facilities to all bake cakes as a class, while learning about food and nutrition and basic baking skills.
We have been able to provide a state-of-the-art food and nutrition classroom for the pupils to use, supported by specialist teachers to guide them through the baking process and ensure that they make the most of the facilities.
They all had fun in a practical and engaging way.
Background
The opportunity was identified by the External School Liaison Manager, who was able to invite schools that she had a close relationship with, to visit Trent College to use our facilities and give their children a different experience to one that is available in their own primary school.
We have worked closely with Sawley Junior School and Risley Lower Grammar CE (VC) Primary School for several years now and this relationship is well established.
Resources
The Food and Nutrition suite was used for two whole mornings and staffed by one member of teaching staff and three non-teaching staff. All resources to make and decorate the cakes were provided by Trent College.
The children were given refreshments at break time, and lunch at the end of the workshop, which was provided free of charge.
Prizes were awarded of a cookbook, apron and chef's hat to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place on each morning and the children all took their cakes home to eat.
Minibus travel was provided on both mornings to and from Trent College, with Trent minibuses driven by non-teaching staff.
Impact
"Thank you so much for inviting us back to the Bake Off again and do please pass on our thanks to your food tech team who were brilliant and gave the children a wonderful experience - the children came back buzzing about the whole thing. I can report back that the cakes went down very well with their peers!! Couldn't believe when you said it was five years this initiative had begun and I wanted to just reiterate our appreciation for the links built between our schools." Deputy head teacher, Sawley Junior School
“I have loved it. I do some baking at home, but this has been great learning all the different icing techniques.” Y5 child, Risley Lower Grammar
“I love your Food & Nutrition classroom. It is great to have so much space and to take all our cakes back to school to share with our friends.” Y5 child, Sawley Junior School
Pupil Involvement
In 2024, we had 20 and 12 mixed Year 5 pupils join us respectively from state schools, Sawley Junior School and Risley Lower Grammar CE (VC) Primary School.
Frequency
This is an annual event that runs after May half-term at Trent College. We invite two or three primary schools to visit across two or three mornings to use our F&N facilities.
This is the 5th year that we have run the workshops and the intention is for them to continue annually.
