A SCHOOL caretaker who set up a cookery club for well behaved pupils has said it is important to introduce cooking to children at a young age.
Yvonne Kirkham, a former head chef at St Ninian's High School, runs the club as a reward for pupils who display good behaviour.
Each week one pupil from each year group is selected to attend the cookery club for being the Star of the Week.
Pupils are chosen for demonstrating that they have made effort, completed their work to a good standard, made friends and for displaying good manners.
The club takes place every Thursday morning and pupils, under the watchful eye of Yvonne, prepare a range of sweet and savoury dishes – at times using ingredients that they have grown in the school grounds.
Pupils cook a different dish each week and dishes so far have included homemade bread, pumpkin soup, chocolate brownies, lasagne and cakes and scones.
Amber Dawson, 10, is in year five. She has been to the cookery club on more than one occasion. Amber explained: "I was really enthusiastic and as a reward I got to come cooking. I've been here about seven times now for being kind and considerate."
Thomas O'Brien, 5, is in reception. He said: "I think it's good. We've been making little chocolate cakes. We put them in the oven and then we put the icing on. It gets messy. At home we don't wear aprons but we do here. You don't want to get your nice uniform spoilt."
Once the children have prepared their culinary masterpieces they distribute them around the school to be enjoyed by pupils, teachers and the mums and tots group.
Yvonne was encouraged to set up the club by the school's headmaster after she told him she missed cooking. She said: "The kids are really interested in what you can make and get a lot of enjoyment and learn a lot out of it. It is lovely that they take these skills home with them.
"They get excited coming out of lessons and it is lovely to see them get so involved. The earlier you start children cooking the better. I absolutely love this. I’d love to do this full time."
