Guidance for schools and parents: Allergy and Cookery classes in schools

As part of a commitment to being inclusive, receptive and proactive in schools, the Care Group is sharing guidance provided by Allergy UK to ensure children who suffer allergies are better supported during cookery classes in schools.

Allergy UK - For Schools is an excellent resource, providing advice on supporting children with allergies, including in relation to Cookery in the classroom. Schools can work in partnership with parents, children and young people by sharing the following information in advance of cookery lessons:

• Provide cookery recipes so that parents can check ingredients and offer to provide alternatives if possible, for cookery classes.

• Offer parents the opportunity to ask the school if they could adapt a recipe (e.g. use nut-free ingredients and 'no fish' advice) so that every child is included, and the other children all use the same products if possible. However, there may be children with different allergies who are not able to use the same ingredients, so parents may have to supply their own child's ingredients.

For further information, download the document: Starting a new school – A Guide from Allergy UK, which is a useful resource for schools, families and children and young people.

Further important guidance from the local Allergy specialist includes:

If your child is known to be allergic (i.e. advised and documented on an allergy management plan) to any of the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson, they should avoid the lesson if food ingredients exchange is not possible.

However, if they are not known to be allergic to ingredients being used then it should fine for your child to participate in the lesson, but the school must be sure that the appropriate medications are available should he/she have a reaction (as per the allergy management plan) during the cooking lesson.

Read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) here.