Who’s Cooking Now and Then? The History of Bradford Dinner Ladies
Bradford was home to the UK’s first ever school dinners, served at Green Lane Primary School in 1906.
But the role of the people (most often women) who cook, serve and plan school dinners is rarely discussed in schools. In this resource, learners hear about the realities of school dinners across the years and consider why school dinners are important.
This pack contains photos from Green Lane’s 1907 dinners as well as today’s lunches. It also includes a zine by artist Ruth Fettis depicting dinner ladies past and present. Learners are encouraged to create a picture or zine representing their own experiences of school dinners.
- Recommended for: Ages 5-11 (Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Learners) and can be adapted for older learners
- Includes: Story / Archive images / Timeline of school dinners in Bradford / Discussion prompts / Zine / Art and creative activities for different age groups
- Links to: History / Heritage / Art / Local learning / PSHE
Zine by Ruth Fettis
This resource includes a zine by artist Ruth Fettis depicting dinner ladies past and present.
Explore pages from the zine below and get inspired to make your own zine about school dinners.
Top tips from Ruth:
- Keep it simple, you are communicating something. A Zine is not a book – it’s not as precious, you can be direct (maybe messy, bold and playful too?)
- Listen to the story / stories – you don’t get art from nothing
- Art is a process
- Enjoy yourself
- Don’t get upset if an idea doesn’t come to you straight away. Be free, think about it first and wait for your idea to come. Talk to your friends and to a dinner lady if you are lucky enough to know one.
Pack content at a glance
- Story – Discover hidden stories from Bradford’s communities
- Investigate – Prompts and questions to spark discussion, reflection, writing, worksheets, or other follow-up activities after hearing the story.
- Get Inspired – An artwork that helps learners connect with the historical context and themes.
- Learn and Create – Creative activity ideas inspired by the story and artwork, encouraging imaginative responses.
- Dig Deeper – Suggestions for extension activities, further exploration, and links to additional resources.
