Picture gallery: Pupils have a flipping marvellous time with MasterChef Tom

Tom who made it to the finals in the 2017 season of MasterChef ‘the Professionals’ visited I CAN’s Dawn House School in Mansfield to take part in cooking demonstrations and a ‘Pancake Cook Off’.

The Sous-Chef, who is originally from Rainworth in Mansfield, visited the school and held a cooking demonstration in front of pupils and staff before taking part in the ‘Cook Off’ against a panel of teachers.

The food technology room at Dawn House was converted into a MasterChef style environment and judges critiqued the cooking technique along with the style of the ‘flip’.

Tom wanted to use the event to highlight the work of the school that educates pupils from around the East Midlands and surrounding counties who have complex speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

He said: “Communication is essential in any kitchen, being able to articulate your point clearly and quickly is vital. Working with the kids today has really highlighted to me how important it is to have fundamental language skills. It is important we raise the awareness of SLCN and support those who have difficulties from as early on as possible.”

1.4 million children (10per cent) in the UK have long term, persistent SLCN (or language disorder);

in other words, they won’t ‘grow out of it’. The school caters for children with the more severe communication needs and provides a safe, dynamic and challenging environment to allow them to reach their full potential.

Jenny McConnell, Principal, took part in the ‘Cook Off’ and shared her views on the day. “It has been fabulous to have Tom with us today. It is important for our pupils to have fun in the kitchen as well as learn. At Dawn House, we value developing children’s language inside and outside of a formal classroom setting and we recognise that events like today offer a fun opportunity for all.”