Schools calls time on old style lunches - North Cerney Primary School
Case Study: North Cerney Primary School
Region: Gloucestershire
Organisation: School and local Pub/Restaurant
Description: The governors of North Cerney Primary School decided in October 2004 to opt out of the LEA lunches contract and 'go it alone'. They approached the Bathurst Arms, the highly acclaimed public house and restaurant in the same village, about working with the school to improve the pupils' lunchtime experience.
Headteacher, Bridget Goodrich, says, "lunchtime is an opportunity for the children to experience a family meal with healthy 'home' cooked food. We want this part of the day to be as meaningful as the rest of the curriculum. The Bathurst Arms have designed a tasty menu, based around simple, locally produced food. We will extend the range of dishes as the pupils' tastes grow and change. We hope that the enjoyment of eating freshly prepared, healthy food will stay with them into secondary school and on into adulthood."
Benefits
- Fresh local produce is used wherever possible, helping to support the local economy
- The children are being involved and educated in the daily preparation of food
- The lunchtime experience is now part of the curriculum
- The children are becoming more aware of the benefits of eating a healthy and nutritionally balanced diet which it is hoped they will carry through into adulthood
- Pupils enjoy eating their lunch in a family environment, which builds on the strong sense of community that already exists within the school.
Lessons learned during implementation
This exciting new venture shows what can be done by governors and heads with the support of parents and pupils.
The enthusiastic approach to the project has worked, all school lunches are now prepared by the Bathurst Arms, using fresh locally sourced produce as much as possible. And all at no extra cost!
Future developments
In addition to the new lunches it is also hoped that the children will be able to see for themselves how the food is produced and to practice preparing their own lunch in a professional kitchen at least once every term.
Further information
Page published: 4 July 2005