HARD working home-school pupils have found some lessons to be a piece of cake – literally.
Pupils at Haughton Academy, part of the Education Village, Darlington, have been combining their numeracy and literacy lessons into a bake-off to remember as they learn to live with life under lockdown.
Pupils were set the task of baking a tangy lemon drizzle cake, cupcakes and cornflake tarts, while others opted for savoury.
The tasks involved using maths skills, including weighing, measuring, ratios and timing; literacy, including reading and understanding written instructions such as a recipe; and science, understanding and investigating that combining different ingredients and adding heat will result in chemical changes to texture and colour of the final product.
They were also able to express their artistic leanings by making the cakes look good enough to eat.
Teacher of food and nutrition and hospitality and catering Lesley Watts said: “How better to make the most of home-schooling than combining all these important subjects into one very tasty product. You really can have your cake and eat it.”
Haughton Academy pupils have been making the most of the Education Village Academy Trust’s sophisticated virtual learning environment to continue their studies during the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Other pupils have been honing their culinary skills on the barbecue by making and cooking their own burgers, lasagne and spaghetti Bolognese with focaccia bread.
Two pupils have made the most of their isolation and technology to complete industry standard allergen training provided for free by the Food Standards Agency, which will strengthen their CVs.
An online virtual art gallery is updated every two weeks and a Haughton’s Got Talent competition is also due to be staged over the internet for pupils to practise their performing and musical skills. Pupils past and present have taken part in a social media ‘pass the toilet roll’ video challenge.
Principal Jonathan Lumb said: “I’ve been very impressed with the levels of engagement of our pupils during the lockdown. They have adapted well to isolation and remote learning and I think they will come through this period with a host of new digital, academic and vocational skills and a stronger sense of resilience.”