Fish heroes!

Students were treated to a fish masterclass that helped the Academy to become the first nationally to earn a new status to promote the food.

The Fish in School Hero is a programme aiming to ensure every child gets a chance to prepare, cook and eat fish, sourced in the UK, before they leave school.

The fish masterclass for Year 10 GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition students was with Simon Gray from the initiative.

They were given the opportunity to see a whole array of seafood up close.

They were shown a variety of different species and learnt about the nutrients in fish and their different classifications, as part of their course requirements.

Simon demonstrated the art of filleting ‘Harold the Hake’ before showing the students a range of dishes that could be created with the fish.

The students were challenged to sharpen their fish food skills by cooking a ‘Paupiette of Hake’.

The hake used in the demonstrations was provided by Grimsby-based Fastnet Fish, a supplier of quality, sustainable frozen fish.

Local Fish & Chip shop, Mr Chips in Louth are kindly storing the fish delivered by Fastnet at their premises for the school to collect.

Through providing locally sourced fish and teacher training, the Fish in School Hero programme overcomes the current obstacles to lesson planning and gives young people an exciting and delicious experience.

Kate Coles, Curriculum Leader of Food Preparation and Nutrition said: “The students had the most unbelievable experience.

“Many of them had not tried fish before and they had great fun learning skills that they will now be able to go on and use in their course, and in later life.”

Louth Academy is the proud owners of a ‘Fish in school Hero’ logo, the first nationally to hold one.

Claire White from Fastnet Fish, presents Philip Dickinson, principal Louth Academy, with the Fish In School Hero Award.

Principal Philip Dickinson said: “All of us at the Academy are very proud to be the first school to gain the status of ‘Fish in School Hero’.

“It’s very rewarding to see what the students get out of programmes such as this and we are very grateful to the Fish Heroes’ initiative and Fastnet for providing the brilliant produce.”

From left are, Kate Coles, Head of food at Louth Academy, Claire White, Fastnet Fish, Philip Dickinson, principal Louth Academy, Simon Gray, Senior Associate at the Food Teachers Centre.

Simon Gray, Senior Associate at the Food Teachers Centre leads a Hake cooking masterclass, with year 10 students at Louth Academy.