Brooke Hill Primary Academy in Oakham opens refurbished kitchen

A home from home kitchen is providing the opportunity for children to learn cookery skills at school.

An old storage room at Brooke Hill Primary Academy in Oakham has been transformed into a cosy kitchen with help from parents.

Special guests visited the school to enjoy tea and scones at a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week.

Headteacher Anna O Shaughnessy said: “The children really look forward to coming in here now. It used to be a tired storage room but we wanted to make it an inspiring space which feels like a home from home.”

Much of the furniture has been made from old pallets with decorative items donated by parents to give the space a homely feel.

Neil Hitchen, the owner of Hitchen’s Barn restaurant in Oakham, was invited to cut the ribbon. He said: “It was great to be asked to come along and open the kitchen. It looks good and it’s so important that children can learn to cook.”

High Sheriff of Rutland, Geraldine Feehally, was among the guests along with Oakham mayor Sally-Anne Wadsworth.

Sally-Anne told the children she was one of Brooke Hill’s first pupils and recalled the new kitchen area being used as a music room when she was a child.

She said: “The new room looks really nice and has transformed a small space into something practical. Having been one of the school’s first ever pupils, I always enjoy coming back to see what has changed.”

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