Our Partnership Schools: Leiths graduate Rhian Hayward says ‘We need more food tech teachers’

Rhian Hayward is a food technology teacher at a comprehensive school in Surrey. A Leiths Culinary Diploma graduate, Rhian teaches 85 GCSE food technology students, holds a weekly after school food club and teaches basic cookery skills to KS3.

A scarcity of food teachers

‘We definitely need more food tech teachers. I feel like we’re gold dust.’ Rhian tells the Leiths Letter. 

Having taught the subject for six years, Rhian remains determined that her students have the opportunity to gain the vital life skill of how to cook from scratch. 

‘Everyone has to have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Everyone has to get by and know how to budget.’ 

And there is clearly a huge appetite for the subject at Rhian’s school. 

‘The kids love food tech. They have a big grin on their face when they walk in. 

‘I actually think the numbers of GCSE food tech students are going up across the country.’ 

Rhian studied the subject at GCSE and A Level and was inspired by her food technology teacher, Mrs Brown, to pursue a similar career. 

A Culinary Diploma curriculum

Nowadays, she says, the skills she teaches her students are inspired by her time at Leiths. 

‘We start with bread-making, then we move on to pastry. They do puff pastry, short crust pastry and sweet pastry. We do choux buns, cakes and a fruit cake. Then they decorate it in fondant to take home. We joint chickens and fillet fish. Everything I do is inspired by my time at Leiths and I’m not just saying that!’  

But, Rhian notes, the role can be a very demanding one. 

‘I tend to have the really tough kids. Most of my classes are SEND too.’

‘It takes a lot of effort and time. But you do it for the kids. It’s a life skill. They have to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner.’  

Whether you work in food or education, find out more about training as a food teacher here.