School cooking groups

Our school groups use cooking to build confidence, social skills and positive peer connections in a familiar setting.

Each week, children come together to:

Cook a full meal from scratch

Batch-cook dishes to take home

Receive a child-friendly written recipe to recreate meals at home with their carers

Engage in sports and creative activities that build confidence and connection

All sessions are led by a qualified social worker or youth worker, and every staff member is DBS checked.

What children gain:

A strong sense of belonging and ownership

Improved emotional regulation and calmer behaviour

Rising self-esteem, especially for pupils who have faced repeated rejection

Breakthrough moments of trust and relationship-building

Greater confidence in forming healthy relationships with adults and peers

Development of essential life skills, confidence in the kitchen, and pride in achievements

A safe, reliable group that becomes an anchor point in their week

What schools have seen:

Noticeable improvements in wellbeing and behaviour over time

Improved relationships with families

Who Is It For?

Primary schools with pupils who:

Are in kinship care

Are in foster care

Are on the edge of care

Have experienced attachment trauma, ACEs, or disrupted relationships

Would benefit from stability, connection, and nurturing relational experiences

What It Involves

Weekly sessions for 12 weeks (term time)

1 hour 15 minutes per session

Cooking, creative activities, and sports

Run by trained Kinship Kitchen staff

School provides a safe, consistent space onsite

Programme costs: £3,300 per 12-week block; includes 3 adults, one of which will always be a qualified Social Worker or Youth Worker.

What Your School Needs to Provide

A member of SLT onsite until the session ends

A designated school staff lead to support coordination and ensure continuity

A suitable classroom or kitchen-adjacent space

Everything else — staffing, food, recipes, resources — is fully covered.

Interested in Bringing Kinship Kitchen to Your School?

We are looking for more primary schools who wish to host this impactful, relationship-building programme.

To express interest or find out more, please contact:
[email protected]