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Case Studies > Where does our food come from

Where does our food come from?

Main emphasis

To raise awareness of how animals are treated in the production of our food while critically reviewing 2 contrasting sources of information for GCSE coursework.

School Profile

Total number of learners 900. Age range 11-18. Specialist status Science. Level 5 and above in key stage 3 tests (2007) 70%. Five A*-C at GCSE (2007) 54%. Special educational needs 25%.

Our school is located on the edge of a busy town with the majority of pupils arriving via buses from outlying villages. We have the highest percent of free school meals pupils in the area. We are very lucky to have a small rural studies unit (working farm) in the school.

Question 1: What were you trying to achieve?

The starting point: Identifying the priorities for development

To Combine an effective coursework experience with a controversial topic pupils would be familiar with while also working towards healthy school award. To be able to give pupils the information to make informed choices about the food they ate.

What were your learners like at the start?

All pupils have food and farming curriculum within their science lessons at KS3 so are familiar with basic farming principles. 70% of pupils take Applied Science for GCSE which also incorporates a module on farming. Some pupils actively engage in the running of the farm.

The school was implementing changes in the food it provided in line with the Healthy School award but pupils were unhappy with the changes. Although pupils are educated in terms of the nutritional content of their food, most pupils did not make the connection between the cost of food and how the animals were farmed. They also needed to be aware of what actually goes into their food. They were apathetic and not aware of how they could be involved in the process of effecting change.

What differences did you want to see in your learners?

Knowledge and understanding

It was important that pupils realised that there was a moral issue with the keeping of animals that are used in the food industry and there is a range of farming methods used to produce food. They needed to consider where their food comes from and the ethics of intensively produced meat. They needed to know there are standards and regulations which govern the farming industry and who enforces those regulations.

Skills

Pupils needed to be able to listen to other peoples opinion and extend their debating technique. They needed to be able to express an opinion and justify it with facts.

They needed to critically evaluate contrasting sources of information and identify bias and recognise media manipulation of facts in a range of examples.

Attitudes and behaviours

To show tolerance of other peoples opinions and justify their own comments and statements with facts. To have the motivation to question their sources of the food directly and provide them with the tools to effect changes. To inspire them to make a positive contribution and directly effect their environment.

Question 2. How did you organise learning to achieve your aims?

How did you set about making a change?

Pupils are required to submit 2 pieces of coursework for GCSE, one of which is a “critical analysis” worth 20% of their final mark.

I began by contacting Animal Aid, an animal rights group committed to improving the conditions of animals in factory farming. I arranged for a representative to come to school and present to Year 10 in an assembly. I felt it essential to use an external speaker to motivate and engage pupils with this particular topic.

I needed the whole year group together so had to negotiate a slot with other departments as citizenship is delivered on a rotational basis with PE and RE. I also wanted all citizenship teaching staff present at the assembly so had to arrange for their lessons to be covered. I work with a team of non specialists, most of which were delivering the curriculum for the first time so it was essential they were present.

The animal aid rep brought a range of posters and leaflets which were displayed in the hall, some of which were quite graphic in the way they displayed the suffering of animals. They also showed a short film called Eat This which showed factory farms with particularly bad practice. The pupils were able to ask questions at the end of the presentation and many pupils were outraged by what they saw. The presentation and materials were evocative and the pupils left the hall animated to say the least.

I was able to keep some of the materials and videos and had written a short scheme of work to build upon the presentation in lesson time afterwards. Pupils were then able to discuss in smaller groups what they had seen and how it had affected them. We discussed the emotional content of the material and how Animal Aid themselves put the argument across.

In terms of assessment at this stage, short question sheets were used to illicit ideas and feelings on the material they had seen. By following the presentation up in lessons all pupils were able to access the information even those not present at the initial assembly. I also created a framework document for pupils to begin writing the coursework.

So, in contrast the opposing argument was presented by our farm manager, someone all the pupils were familiar with. He did a series of presentations in the classroom. He presented the argument for animals being used for food and how farming standards were maintained. He discussed with pupils how animals are treated in non intensive farming. He discussed the regulations for the rearing of animals and how they were slaughtered. These lessons were followed up by visiting the DEFRA website.

Pupils were then able to compare and contrast the two sources and evaluate their own opinions of the material and whether it had changed their views of what they ate.

3. How well have you achieved your aims?

What differences are evident? What impact have you made on your learners?

Choosing this particular topic for discussion has been successful in a number of ways. The presentation and video form Animal Aid evoked responses from all pupils. We went on to have excellent discussions in the lessons following the talks. Pupils were engaged with the topic and motivated to express their own opinions on the subject. I was keen to act on their enthusiasm and offered pupils a number of ways to act on what they had learnt.

Pupils were able to choose how they would like to go about effecting a change in what they ate. Some pupils volunteered to work on the farm, other pupils arranged to have a meeting with the catering manager and discuss where he sourced some of his products. Other pupils opted to host assemblies for KS3 pupils. Some members of the school council arranged for a permanent agenda item for school council meetings to review menus the canteen was offering and how the school may be able to incorporate more organic and free range food.

The whole year group completes the GCSE short course. So, in terms of academic achievement for 2 years running pupils have gained 73% A- C pass rate in short course GCSE Citizenship. That is compared to the school average of 55% A – C 2007 and 52% in 2006. This piece of coursework is submitted by all pupils and for both years I have received very positive comments from the moderators and no marks have been changed.

Due to building work at school the running of the farm was put into question. By incorporating rural studies into citizenship coursework has helped secure a valuable resource for the school. It has linked citizenship with science and provided support for those pupils taking animal husbandry and applied science at BTEC level in Year 12 and 13.

I have delivered this topic two years running to several classes and have marked and moderated many pieces of coursework. When I read some of the work written by the pupils I can see how effective the topic has been. I have been particularly impressed by the way they have communicated their feelings in their own words and how, for some of them it has changed their views.