Sustainable Food Procurement Initiative - St. Aidan's Church of England High School
Case Study: St. Aidan's Church of England High School
Region: Harrogate Yorkshire
Organisation: DfES
Description
Three years ago, the meals at St. Aidan's were of a poor standard. Contract caterers doled out greasy slabs of pizza, sausage rolls, beans and chips. Most pupils didn't even bother with the beans. They would sit down to a daily plate of chips and nothing else. Staff usually made do with a sandwich. The headmaster hadn't eaten in school for five years. "It was appalling," says Steve Hatcher, the deputy head. He also knew that by April 2001, legislation would mean that head teachers and governors would be responsible for nutritional standards within schools. "We had to do something."
Two years ago St Aidan's Church of England High School, a comprehensive in Harrogate, hired a restaurant chef. Investigating other contract catering firms, Hatcher was unimpressed. "They were all the same. They would slice £20,000 off the top to run their offices 30 miles away and employ unskilled kitchen staff to assemble poor quality pre-prepared food." He suggested advertising for a chef at three times the usual salary. In a Ready, Steady Cook style cook-off, the winner was Trevor Whitehead, a chef with 25 years' experience in restaurants, most recently at The Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford. He was willing to reduce his salary in exchange for a better quality life style.
Benefits
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All food is now prepared daily from fresh produce, with vegetables coming as part of the main meal ensuring that the children eat a more balanced diet.
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Approx. 1,700 pupils and 200 staff members now eat regularly in one of the three dining areas, which also offer a breakfast club and healthy nutritious 'fast food' options.
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Takings have quadrupled under the new regime - from £500 or £600 a day to over £2,000.
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Cashless swipe cards mean that pupils can be monitored individually and parents can be kept informed of their offspring's choices.
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Takeaway meals are a popular service for parents and staff.
Lessons learned during implementation
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If the option of eating 'junk food' is taken away, most pupils quickly adapt to a healthier attitude towards food.
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A Local Authority loan has enabled out of date kitchen equipment to be replaced.
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Not only has the food been revolutionised but also the overall dining environment, Prison-style food trays were dumped, dinner ladies were renamed kitchen assistants, polyester overalls replaced with chefs' whites, and this year a bright new 250-seater "restaurant" opened. The whole experience of dining at school is now an enjoyable one.
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The impact on the learning environment has meant that the school is calmer, particularly in the afternoons.
Future developments
Due to the overall success of the new regime, opportunities have opened up for other commercial enterprises. The food is so good the restaurant has its first booking for a Sunday Christmas Luncheon in December
Further information
Page last modified:
23 September 2005
Page published: 04 December 2003