Pupils at St Peter’s CE Primary School in Brotton are celebrating after two winners were chosen in the school’s Pie Designing Competition to mark Great British Pie Week 2026.
Children aged four to eleven were challenged to invent their own savoury pie recipes, producing a range of imaginative entries and creative flavour combinations.
Two designs stood out to judges. Ten-year-old Sophia won with her Corned Beef, Mash and Cheese creation, while eleven-year-old Logan impressed with a Chicken and Coconut Curry pie.
Sophia’s recipe has already been transformed into a special quiche-style pie, handmade by Goodswen Butchers of Redcar. Logan’s Chicken and Coconut Curry pie will be produced and sold later in the year.
The two winners visited the butcher’s shop with Headteacher Mr Woodhouse to see how their ideas were brought to life.
John Gibbon from Goodswen Butchers, who judged the competition, praised the pupils’ creativity.
“The children’s designs have been wonderful. They have inspired me to come up with new flavours of my own. Every month, I will have a new creation on sale in our shop; this month it’s Guinness sausages. The children have started something special here.”
John also presented each of the winners with an Easter egg and provided two large winning pies for their classmates to enjoy back at school.
Mr Woodhouse said the experience had been hugely enjoyable for the pupils.
“John and his team have been brilliant with us again. The children have loved the competition and we look forward to working with them again.”
Before leaving the shop, Mr Woodhouse treated Sophia and Logan to one of Goodswen’s top-quality pork pies to enjoy back at school. However, neither pie made it back to the classroom, as both were happily devoured on the journey back in the car.
The competition builds on a growing partnership between the school and Goodswen Butchers. The winning sausage from last year’s competition, a pork, bacon and maple syrup creation, remains on sale in the shop due to its popularity with customers.
Projects like this give pupils valuable insight into food design and local food production, while highlighting the importance of supporting independent businesses in the community.
