SkillQuest: Empowering Future-Ready Learners Launches at Weston Green School
Today marked the exciting launch of SkillQuest, Weston Green School’s innovative programme designed to equip children with essential skills for the future. The day began with a thought-provoking assembly that set the stage for this dynamic initiative, blending creativity, problem-solving, and global awareness.
During the assembly, children were encouraged to discuss engaging questions like:
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What is your favourite food? Chocolate and brussel sprouts featured in the lively discussion
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What percentage of food produced is used for animal feed? (Answer: 40%). This sparked conversations about dietary choices, sustainability, and the livelihoods of farmers.
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How much food does the average person consume in a lifetime? (Answer: 35 tons, the weight of 35 cars). This figure underscored the importance of making mindful food choices.
The tone quickly shifted as the children learned a staggering fact: 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted globally each year – an amount equivalent to the weight of 1.3 billion cars. The assembly hall was filled with gasps of incredulity as the implications of such waste were explored, particularly in a world where so many people go without enough food.Children were then introduced to the overarching goal of SkillQuest: to use the skills they develop to address pressing issues such as food waste and sustainability. They were challenged to consider how their learning could contribute to solutions that help both their local community and the wider world.
Chaos in the Kitchen: Hands-On Learning in Action
After the assembly, each year group embarked on hands-on activities under the theme “Chaos in the Kitchen.” These engaging sessions provided a platform for children to apply the key skills at the heart of SkillQuest:
- Creative Thinking: Year groups brainstormed imaginative ways to reduce food waste at home and in school, exploring innovative ideas such as composting and upcycling leftover ingredients into new meals.
- Digital Literacy: Older children used digital tools to research global food waste statistics and create infographics, learning how to evaluate information and communicate their findings effectively.
- Global Awareness: Discussions centered around how food waste affects different parts of the world, fostering empathy and understanding for those impacted by hunger and resource scarcity.
- Problem-Solving and Resilience: From estimating how much water is needed to produce everyday foods (did you know it takes 2,400 litres of water to produce a single hamburger?) to calculating the yield of an orchard tree (2,000 apples per year!), children tackled complex problems with determination and teamwork.
A Lifelong Journey of Learning and Action
SkillQuest is about more than facts and figures. It’s a call to action, empowering students to think globally and act locally. By building on skills like collaboration, leadership, and ethical decision-making, the programme encourages children to take initiative in solving real-world problems. Don’t underestimate this as merely a fun morning of quizzes and challenges—these activities demand significant academic engagement, requiring children to think critically, communicate effectively, and develop a broad spectrum of future-ready skills. The thoughtfully designed range of activities planned for this term will challenge the children in new and meaningful ways:
- Year 1 read and were inspired by stories which unlocked their imaginations to devise their own chaos in the kitchen stories.
- Year 2 worked in a range of different group situations to analyse the leftovers from lunch and come up with innovative ways in which these could be used in the future.
- Year 3 used their role play skills to empathise with and find solutions for the lunch team and are incorporating digital literacy to gather information in order to communicate their ideas effectively.
- Year 4 responded carefully and sensitively to an email received from our Chef having undertaken a detailed discussion about how to organise their thoughts and communicate in the most purposeful manner.
- Year 5 questioned how and where our food is sourced applying technological skills to be able to complete high level audit of food sold at a local supermarket.
- Year 6 completed an escape room challenge having to hone their leadership, negotiation and problem solving skills to explore the background of food waste, healthy recipes and global food awareness.
As the launch day concluded, the children reflected on the skills they have learned and words they would sum up the day here.
SkillQuest has begun its journey, inspiring a new generation of thinkers, doers, and changemakers to lead with ambition, curiosity, and kindness. Together, we will make a difference – one creative solution at a time.
