Ethos Food Programme
A 20-Session Food Education Curriculum for UK Schools (EYFS & KS1) Across One Academic Year
Overview
Bring Food Education to Life in Your Classroom
A fully resourced 20-session food education curriculum designed for teachers to deliver independently in any school setting — indoors, outdoors, or adapted to available space
The Ethos Food Programme is a structured, 20-session curriculum designed for UK primary schools and home education settings.
It delivers engaging, practical food education across the academic year, helping children understand where food comes from, how it is grown, and how it connects to health, culture, and the environment.
This programme is fully classroom-based and does not require a school garden or allotment space.
Optional hands-on growing activities are included using simple, low-cost systems such as pots and seed trays.
Who it’s for
This programme is designed for:
- EYFS classrooms
- Key Stage 1 classes
- Home educators and homeschool groups
- Schools with or without outdoor growing space
It is ideal for teachers who want a ready-to-deliver curriculum without additional planning workload.T
Our Approach: Four Connected Themes
What children will learn
The Ethos Food Programme is built around four core themes that together create a holistic food education journey. These themes are revisited throughout the year to reinforce learning and build deeper understanding.
Eco Allotment
Introduce children to the fundamentals of growing food through sustainable gardening.
Participants engage in hands-on activities such as planting, nurturing, and harvesting seasonal crops, while learning eco-friendly practices and developing a connection to nature.
Whole Meals
Learn how to prepare simple, nutritious meals using whole ingredients such as grains, vegetables, legumes, and herbs.
This theme builds understanding of how whole foods support health, using produce from the eco allotment wherever possible.
Food Diversity
Explore ingredients, food cultures, and culinary traditions from around the world.
Participants learn how different cultures use a wide variety of ingredients, including plant-based foods, to create balanced, nutritious, and culturally significant meals.
Food Heritage
Reconnect with traditional British food knowledge, from historic dishes to recipes passed through generations.
Participants explore how these can be adapted to modern, healthy, and sustainable eating practices.
Levels of Programme Engagement
No garden needed
This is the entry level and works in every school or home education setting.
What it looks like:
- 20 structured curriculum sessions per year
- Delivered entirely in the classroom
- Simple pot-based growing activities
- Seed trays on desks or windowsills
- Observation and experiments instead of garden work
What schools need:
- Classroom space only
- Basic materials (pots, seeds, compost)
What children experience:
- Growing seeds in pots
- Learning where food comes from
- Food tasting and exploration
- Nutrition and food culture activities
Best for:
- First-time schools
- No outdoor space
- Homeschool groups
- Low-budget pilots
Bring learning outside
This level adds a small physical growing area to extend learning.
What it looks like:
- Everything in Level 1
- PLUS small outdoor growing area
- Raised beds or container gardens
- Seasonal planting cycles
- Group responsibility for plants
What schools need:
- Small patio or garden space
- Basic outdoor access
What children experience:
- Real plant care in school grounds
- Growing food across seasons
- Understanding responsibility and teamwork
- Linking classroom learning to real growth
Best for:
- Schools ready to expand
- Eco-focused curriculum development
- Longer-term food education projects
Whole-school food ecosystem
This is the most advanced level of the programme.
What it looks like:
- Full outdoor allotment area
- Multiple raised beds or growing zones
- Seasonal crop planning
- Rotation between classes
- Long-term sustainability projects
- Integration across year groups
What schools need:
- Dedicated outdoor growing space
- School commitment to maintenance
What children experience:
- Full food production cycle
- Harvesting and cooking links
- Deep sustainability understanding
- Long-term environmental responsibility
- Real-world gardening and food systems
Best for:
- Eco schools
- Long-term curriculum transformation
- Schools with outdoor investment plans
How the programme works
The 20 sessions are structured across three academic terms:
Autumn Term
Children explore the basics of food, plant growth and the natural world, introducing the Eco Allotment theme and foundational food knowledge.
Spring Term
Focus shifts to nutrition, whole foods and global food diversity, encouraging children to understand different cultures and healthy eating.
Summer Term
Children explore food heritage, traditions and cultural identity, linking food to history, family and community.
EYFS and KS1 Progression
EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage)
Children develop early understanding through sensory and practical experiences:
- Exploring food using sight, smell, touch and taste
- Understanding simple plant growth
- Building early care and responsibility skills
- Developing language and observation skills
- Introducing basic food awareness
KS1 (Key Stage 1)
Children build structured knowledge and early scientific understanding:
- Plant life cycles and growth processes
- Food origins and production
- Nutrition and healthy eating
- Sustainability and environmental awareness
- Food diversity across cultures
- Early enquiry and comparison skills
School Packages
For individual classes (EYFS or KS1)
Price:
£495 per class per year
Includes:
- Full 20-session curriculum pack
- EYFS + KS1 versions
- Teacher sheets for every session
- Classroom activity flow (step-by-step)
- Vocabulary lists and learning outcomes
- Cross-curricular links (Science, Geography, PSHE)
- Indoor delivery model (no outdoor space required)
Best for:
- Single classes
- Pilot programmes
- First-time schools
Whole school access (multiple classes)
Price:
£795 per school per year
Includes:
- Everything in Classroom Licence
- Unlimited teachers within one school
- Use across EYFS and KS1 classes
- Adaptable delivery for different year groups
- Optional classroom growing system guidance
- Pots and seed growing framework (no physical kits supplied)
Best for:
- Primary schools with multiple classes
- Schools embedding food education into curriculum
- Long-term adoption
For academy trusts or school groups
Price:
£1,500 – £2,500 per year
Includes:
- Everything in School Licence
- Use across multiple schools (up to agreed number)
- Standardised curriculum delivery across sites
- Centralised teaching resource system
- Optional implementation support guide for coordinators
Best for:
- Academy trusts
- Local authority groups
- Multi-school organisations
Preview the Ethos Food Programme – Session 1: Eco Allotment
Explore the first session of our 20-session food education curriculum for EYFS & KS1. Includes teacher guidance, class flow, activities, and vocabulary.
Join Us in Transforming Food Systems
Book a consultation call to find the most suitable licence for your school