FOOD, glorious food – including a giant dish of paella – took centre stage at a primary school this week.

Pupils at Chilton Primary School, near Didcot, have been learning how to cook, visiting markets and farms, and celebrating all things edible.

One group organised a fruit and vegetable stall at the school’s open evening on Wednesday.

And on Thursday, all the children helped create a giant paella to dish up for school lunch.

Members of the Food for Life initiative set up shop in the school grounds with a mobile kitchen to give cookery lessons.

Headteacher Christine Dunsdon said: “Children have cooked everything from soups to scones and lunches and they have done extremely well.

“We have come out feeling we really don’t do enough cooking – it has given us lots of ideas for lessons and some really good recipes.”

The school now plans to extend a small vegetable patch in the grounds to create a large community allotment in association with local groups including the Women’s Institute and parish council.

The youngsters were full of praise for their food activities.

Grace Norman, nine, said: “I have had a wonderful time making cookies and choosing the fruit fillings.

“I have also learnt a lot like how to use sharp knives safely and how to chop ingredients.”

And Giles Clark, 10, said: “We have had really good fun with our class teacher cooking all kinds of things – especially the courgette muffins. I have tried all kinds of things I didn’t think I liked.

“The paella was delicious and I wish we had a pan as big as that at home.”

fbardsley@oxfordmail.co.uk