Make Cooking and Food Education a Mandatory Part of the UK School Curriculum

Rejected 21 signatures

What the petition asks

We call on the Department for Education to make practical cooking and food education a compulsory part of the national curriculum for all primary and secondary school pupils.

Cooking is a fundamental life skill. Many young people leave school without knowing how to prepare simple, healthy, affordable meals. This has serious consequences for public health and long-term wellbeing.
The UK faces rising levels of obesity, diet-related illness, and food insecurity. According to the National Health Service, poor diet is a major contributor to preventable diseases. Teaching children how to cook from scratch empowers them to make healthier choices for life.

Why it was rejected

The UK Government or Parliament was already taking the action it asked for.

The National Curriculum for Design and Technology (D&T) requires maintained schools to teach pupils about food, nutrition, how to cook and healthy eating. Cooking and nutrition is a discrete strand of the D&T curriculum and cooking is compulsory in maintained schools for key stages 1 to 3 (ages 5-14). The curriculum aims to teach children how to cook, with an emphasis on savoury dishes, and how to apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition.

Timeline

25 Feb 2026	Petition opened for signatures
24 Mar 2026	Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 21

Status Rejected

Rejected 24 Mar 2026

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