Why don't primary schools teach cooking?

I was at a FEAST (Food Education at Schools Today) meeting this afternoon. There was a passionate debate on how we can get our primary schools cooking. There is now space for it in the curriculum - in fact it is now a requirement in the early years curriculum, in science and DT and in Personal and Social Health Education. Children and students tell us they love practical cookery lessons, parents are also keen so why doesn't it happen more?

There are funding implications of course - yet when interactive white boards became the must have for schools no stone was left unturned in the drive to fundraise and re juggle budgets to ensure schools could fund them.

I suppose that is the heart of it. Until schools think it is vital they won't prioritise making it happen. Whiteboards and computer suites are seen by Heads as crucial in a way that good food education is not.

The crisis in children's health due to diet related problems is not getting better. Teaching children about food; where it comes from, how to prepare it is more vital than ever.

If we can teach french, music, design technology, science etc without specialist teachers in primary schools why cant we teach cookery?

I know that there are pioneering schools who do manage it. Maybe if you know of one you could let me know how they do it.