Meare Village Primary School
Policy on Whole School Food
1 Introduction
1.1 Meare Village Primary School acknowledges that healthy eating is very important to school life as exemplified by its inclusion as part of National Healthy School Status (NHSS). Meare Village Primary School achieved NHSS in July 2007. This policy takes account of the guidance on developing and implementing a Whole School Food Policy produced in the ‘Food in Schools Toolkit’[1], ‘Grab 5: A model school food policy’[2], ‘Establishing a Whole School Food Policy’[3] and Food Policy in Schools: A Strategic Policy Framework for Governing Bodies.[4]
All teachers have read this policy. A copy is available to staff and parents/guardians on request from the school office. A statement on the Whole School Food Policy is also to be found in the School Prospectus and on the school’s website.
2 Rationale
2.1 At Meare Village Primary School, we are committed to improving the health and well- being of our pupils and staff. We believe that promoting and establishing life-long healthy eating patterns in our pupils; educating our pupils about different types of food in the context of a balanced diet; and developing pupils’ skills in how to plan, budget, prepare and cook is essential to each pupil’s health and well-being as well as their intellectual abilities.
This policy is a ‘stand alone’ policy in the school but it is not seen in isolation. This policy is inextricably linked to our other health-related policies including Somerset County Council’s Food Safety Policy, compliance with which confirms our school’s commitment to the highest standards of food safety. Other policies include: Design & Technology, Health & Safety, PSHE and are integral to our school’s approach to a healthy lifestyle.
3 Definition of a Whole School Food Policy
Our Whole School Food Policy is a shared, evolving document for all stakeholders who interact with our school. It expresses a common vision of the ethos, status and role of all aspects of food and drink within our school. It covers all aspects of food and drink provision and education, including the formal curriculum, extra-curricular activities, school meals, packed lunches, vending machines, and food provided at the school other than school meals. It also covers pastoral care and welfare issues related to food and involvement of the school in national food-related initiatives and events.
4 Contextual Statement
Meare Village Primary School is a four class village primary school taking children from the local area.
At the time of writing/revising this policy Meare Village Primary School:
· supplies school dinners with county providers
· does not have a tuck shop
· does not have breakfast provision
· does not have a cookery club
· has a growing/gardening club
· has easy access to free, clean, palatable drinking water for pupils
Ms Bernstein (Class 4 teacher) led and consulted with teachers, pupils, parents, catering staff, the food provider, and the Governor nominated to monitor this area.
5 Aims
At Meare Village Primary School we work as a whole school community to achieve the following aims regarding food and drink throughout the whole school day
· To set out a co-ordinated approach to food and drink throughout the school day;
· To communicate our shared vision, ethos and values on all aspects of food and drink in our school;
· To inform part of our school’s development plan, providing a strategic vision that everyone understands;
· To improve the health of pupils and staff by helping to influence their eating habits through increasing their knowledge and awareness of food issues, including what constitutes a healthy and balanced diet and hygienic food preparation and storage methods;
· To strive to ensure that pupils are well nourished at school by providing every pupil with access to safe, tasty and nutritious food and free, clean and palatable drinking water during the school day;
· To ensure that food and drink provision in the school reflects the ethical and medical requirements of staff and pupils (e.g. religious, medical, vegetarian and allergenic needs);
· To make the provision and consumption of food and drink an enjoyable and safe experience;
· To promote healthier eating practices to the wider school community and support and influence parents/guardians/pupils to follow healthier eating practices;
· To introduce and promote practices within the school that reinforce these aims and to remove or discourage practices that negate them.
6 Objectives
6.1 To work to ensure that the following agencies are actively involved in developing and amending this policy and accept and embrace this policy:
· Governors
· School Management
· Teachers and support staff
· Pupils
· Parents/guardians
· Food providers
· The school’s wider community
6.2 To integrate these aims into all aspects of school life, in particular:
· Food and drink provision within the school
· The curriculum
· Pastoral and social activities
· Extended school provision
7 Process
7.1 Organisation
Ms Bernstein (Class 4 teacher) led a consultation with all stakeholders – teachers, parents, pupils, catering staff, food provider and the Governor responsible for obtaining national healthy schools status. The catering company provided food samples for parents and pupils. A packed lunch project also took place.
8 Food Topics Covered in the Formal School Curriculum
At Meare Village Primary School we provide many opportunities for our pupils to learn about food. These include:
· Art
· Design and Technology
· Drama
· English
· Geography
· History
· Information Technology
· Maths
· Modern foreign languages
· Music
· PSHE
· Physical Activity
· Science
(Food topics are covered in the national curriculum frameworks for Science, Design and Technology, and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). Therefore the relevant learning objectives that cover food topics in these subjects are listed in appendixes 1, 2, 3 and 4. Appendix 1 is the National Curriculum Statutory Framework for Design and Technology for key stages 1, 2 and 3. Appendix 2 is the National Curriculum Non-Statutory Framework for Design and Technology for key stage 4. Appendix 3 is the National Curriculum Statutory Framework for Science at key stages 1, 2, 3 and 4. Appendix 4 is the National Curriculum Non-Statutory Framework for Personal, Social and Health Education for key stages 1, 2, 3 and 4.)
9 Extra Curricular Activities
At Meare Village Primary School we try to provide opportunities for our pupils to learn about food outside their curriculum work. These include:
· Cooking demonstrations
· School gardens- class 1 involved in planting and growing
· Gardening club
· Visit from Somerset Food Links
· Visit from Yeo Valley with samples of yogurt for children to taste
· Visit to farm for Classes 1 and 2
· Forest School – Class 1
10 Food and Drink Provision with the School
10.1 School Meals
Meare Village Primary School is now offering a daily lunchtime catering service to all its pupils. This is delivered by Somerset Catering Services who will be responsible for providing a school meals service that meets the ‘Government Standards for School Food’ (including the new food-based standards for school lunches (that are listed in Appendix 5)).
Meare Village Primary School provides each pupil who is entitled to a free school meal with a hot meal as provided by SCS.
10.2 Dietary Requirements
Meare Village Primary School endeavours to identify the special dietary requirements (consider medical/allergenic/cultural/religious/ethical requirements) of our pupils and staff as identified on school application form. In response to these dietary requirements we ensure that food and drink provision throughout the school day reflects these requirements.
Meare Village Primary School welcomes the opportunity to work with parents/guardians and pupils to ensure any special dietary needs are met.
10.3 Packed Lunches
At Meare Village Primary School some of our pupils bring a packed lunch every day as everyone has the option to choose to have school dinners or bring a packed lunch. The Government’s new food-based standards for school lunches do not apply to food and drink that has been brought in from outside school, however Meare Village Primary School endeavours to ensure that pupils’ packed lunches are healthy and nutritious as we recognise the importance of a nutritious, balanced diet for pupils’ health and well-being. The children all eat lunch together so that children sit at the table with friends and enjoy eating together, whether they are eating a school dinner or a packed lunch.
Meare Village Primary School has taken the following actions to encourage pupils and parents/ guardians to pack healthy and nutritious packed lunches:
· practical cookery session with pupils on healthier packed lunches;- Classes 3 and 4 designed and made healthy sandwiches
· all classes looked at Healthy Food as part of topic on Keeping Healthy
· a leaflet “A Family Guide to Healthy Packed Lunches” sent to parents recommending what is good to put in packed lunches
· A policy of no crisps and chocolate.
10.4 Water Provision
Meare Village Primary School has implemented a whole school policy that free, clean and palatable drinking water is accessible to pupils and staff throughout the school day. There are 2 water stations that are strategically positioned throughout the school.
All pupils are encouraged to have a water bottle, which they bring from home each day. Water bottles are kept on tables during all lessons, except in lessons where this could have health and safety implications. Children have access to the water fountain at all times.
10.5 Tuck Shops
At Meare Village Primary School during morning break we only allow our pupils to eat fruit or vegetables. All key stage one classes receive a free morning break time snack of cut and washed fruit or vegetables, which is shared in a family setting for all class members. This is part of The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme. At this time all pupils have access to 189ml of milk that is free to children under 5.
11 Dining Room Environment
At Meare Village Primary School we have a welcoming dining environment that encourages the social interaction of pupils. We recently bought new tables so that children could eat together in the hall, rather than in classrooms. The tables are large and easy to clean.
12 Continuing Professional Development for Staff
At Meare Village Primary School we recognise the importance of investing in training for all our teaching, non-teaching and catering staff. We believe there is a strong correlation between high quality, targeted, accessible training for our staff and staff who can plan and deliver high quality food provision or high quality education in food.
At Meare Village Primary School some of our staff have taken part in the following training related to food safety and hygiene, nutrition, food education or the school provision of food and drink:
13 Monitoring and Evaluation
The Whole School Food Policy is consulted upon, monitored and evaluated through a bi-annual review process involving teachers, catering staff, subject leader for Food Technology, Senior Management Team, food providers, and the Governing Body. Julie Merrett is Governor responsible for organising and overseeing the annual process of consulting on, monitoring and evaluating the Whole School Food Policy.
Reviewed by staff July 2007
Approved by governors November 2007
Published for parents November 2007
Due for review November 2009
Signed: ……………………….
Date: ………….
Appendix 1
The National Curriculum Statutory Framework for Design and Technology (at Key Stage 1, 2 and 3).
The following are statutory guidelines for Key Stage 1, 2 and 3:
Key stage 1
At key stage 1 it is statutory that teachers use food as a material to deliver the National Curriculum Statutory Framework for Design and Technology.
Knowledge, skills and understanding
Developing, planning and communicating ideas
1 / Pupils should be taught to:a) / generate ideas by drawing on their own and other people’s experiences
b) / develop ideas by shaping materials and putting together components
c) / talk about their ideas
d) / plan by suggesting what to do next as their ideas develop
e) / communicate their ideas using a variety of methods, including drawing and making models
Working with tools, equipment, materials and components to make quality products
2 / Pupils should be taught to:a) / select tools techniques and materials for making their product from a range suggested by the teacher
b) / explore the sensory qualities of materials
c) / measure, mark out, cut and shape a range of materials
d) / assemble, join and combine materials and components
e) / use simple finishing techniques to improve the appearance of their product
f) / follow safe procedures for food safety and hygiene
Evaluating processes and products
3 / Pupils should be taught to:a) / talk about their ideas, saying what they like and dislike
b) / identify what they could have done differently or how they could improve their work in the future
Knowledge and understanding of materials and components
4 / Pupils should be taught:a) / about the working characteristics of materials [for example, folding paper to make it stiffer, plaiting yarn to make it stronger]
b) / how mechanisms can be used in different ways [for example, wheels and axels, joints that allow movement]
Breadth of study
5 / During the key stage, pupils should be taught the Knowledge, skills and understanding through:a) / investigating and evaluating a range of familiar products [for example, talking about how they work, and whether they do what they are supposed to do]
b) / focused practical tasks that develop a range of techniques, skills, processes and knowledge
c) / design and make assignments using a range of materials, including food, items that can be put together to make products, and textiles.
Key stage 2
At key stage 2 it is statutory that teachers use food as a material to deliver the National Curriculum Statutory Framework for Design and Technology.
Knowledge, skills and understanding
Developing, planning and communicating ideas
1 / Pupils should be taught to:a) / generate ideas for products after thinking about who will use them and what they will be used for, using information from a number of sources, including ICT-based sources
b) / develop ideas and explain them clearly, putting together a list of what they want their design to achieve
c) / plan what they have to do, suggesting a sequence of actions and alternatives, if needed
d) / communicate design ideas in different ways as these develop, bearing in mind aesthetic qualities, and the uses and purposes for which the product is intended.
Working with tools, equipment, materials and components to make quality products
2 / Pupils should be taught to:a) / select appropriate tools and techniques for making their product
b) / suggest alternative ways of making their product, if first attempts fail
c) / Explore the sensory qualities of materials and how to use materials and processes
d) / measure, mark out, cut and shape a range of materials, and assemble, join and combine components and materials accurately
e) / use finishing techniques to strengthen and improve the appearance of their product, using a range of equipment including ICT [for example, 'drawing' software or computer-aided design (CAD) software and a printer]
f) / follow safe procedures for food safety and hygiene.
Evaluating processes and products
3 / Pupils should be taught to:a) / reflect on the progress of their work as they design and make, identifying ways they could improve their products
b) / carry out appropriate tests before making any improvements
c) / recognise that the quality of a product depends on how well it is made and how well it meets its intended purpose [for example, how well products meet social, economic and environmental considerations].
Knowledge and understanding of materials and components
4 / Pupils should be taught:a) / how the working characteristics of materials affect the ways they are used
b) / how materials can be combined and mixed to create more useful properties [for example, using cardboard triangles on the corners of a wooden framework to strengthen it]
c) / how mechanisms can be used to make things move in different ways, using a range of equipment including an ICT control program
d) / how electrical circuits, including those with simple switches, can be used to achieve results that work
Breadth of study