TEACHERS and pupils swapped textbooks for cookery books last week, when they took part in their own version of Ready Steady Cook.

Over 270 students at Forest School in Snaresbrook watched as two of their teachers led their teams in the ultimate 15-minute culinary challenge.

Miss Hopkin was tasked with helping her group of students make a Thai green curry for the red team, while Mr Faulkner helped make a mixed bean barbecue wrap for the green team.

As both teams rushed around trying to get their dish ready on time, Mr Elks spoke to the audience at the Deaton Theatre in College Place about the importance of healthy eating.

After 15 minutes, members of staff tasted both dishes and the children in the audience voted for the best looking one, before Miss Hopkins’ red team were finally crowned Forest School Ready Steady Cook champions.

She said: “I had a very good team and the support from the audience was great as well.

“I’m really competitive, so I was really pleased when the teachers liked our dish and even more delighted then we got the audience’s vote too.”

Mr Faukner said he was “gutted” to have lost and claimed “the green dish was clearly the tastiest”.

The event was part of a nationwide initiative organised by Chartwells to get schoolchildren excited about cooking and healthy eating.