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Whole School Food Policy

North Ealing Primary School

Aims

North Ealing Primary School aims to provide an environment that promotes the health and well-being of pupils, parents and staff by ensuring that all food provision and food messages are healthy and consistent. North Ealing staff recognises and are committed to the fact that healthier children are happier and learn more effectively.

Policy Development

This policy was developed with the input of following people:

  • Healthy School Coordinator
  • Senior Leadership Team
  • Parents
  • Governors
  • Teaching Staff
  • Pupils
  • Harrisons catering company

Provision of Food

The Eating Environment

  • All pupils eat in the dining hall with their own class and then move into the playground.
  • Pupils who eat packed lunches are encouraged to sit with those who are having school meals.
  • In all classrooms fruit break and water bottle areas are allocated by class teachers for children to store their healthy snacks.
  • In EYFS and KS1 fruit and/or vegetables are provided for the children daily.

School Meals (lunches)

  • Food is provided by Harrisons Catering Services.
  • The option of school lunches is promoted at the admissions phase.
  • Food is presented at children’s height and the cooks and other staff talk through the options.
  • Children are encouraged to try different foods each day by the cook and other staff.
  • Children are expected to choose one of the main options and vegetables and salad each day.
  • Healthy dessert options are offered, ranging from fruit, yoghurts and a hot alternative.
  • In EYFS and Year 1 a member of staff or non-teaching staff line up with children and discuss options and help make decisions on their balanced diet. Some members of staff then sit with children and eat their meals with pupils.
  • Children are encouraged to eat their main meal before dessert and this is monitored by the members of staff present in the hall.
  • Children who eat little are monitored and encouraged and their teachers and parents are informed.
  • The lunch time staff are informed about children who have special dietary needs or allergies and this information is also displayed in the kitchens, medical room and classrooms.
  • The school occasionally has themed days related to a topic or the time of the year.
  • Reception to Year 2 are all entitled to a free school lunch.

New Standards:

  • Sugary puddings including cake, custard, biscuits and cookies will only be offered twice a week and we have the intention of reducing this to once a week.

Packed Lunches

  • • Children are encouraged to show their packed lunches to a member of staff before and after they have eaten especially in EYFS and Key Stage 1.
  • Packed lunches will be monitored closely by catering, teaching and support staff.
  • When appropriate the SMSA team will put a reminder slip in a child’s lunch box if they have unhealthy food or food that is on the banned list * on a regular basis.
  • Parents are consulted by a class teacher if lunch boxes do not contain a balanced diet. Healthier options are discussed and ‘healthy packed lunch box’ information and guides are available.
  • All parents and carers have received a letter detailing healthy choices which are permitted in a packed lunch and a list of banned items.*
  • One item from the banned list is allowed as a treat on Fridays.

Snacks

  • Free milk will be offered to all EYFS children.
  • Children have time allocated every day to eat either fruit or vegetables with some water during fruit break.
  • A range of fresh fruit or vegetables are offered to children in EYFS and KS1 during morning play.
  • The list of permitted healthy packed lunch foods, also applies to snacks brought for after school clubs.

Drinking Water

  • Drinking water is provided in all classes, on tap for children to drink water throughout the day. Clean plastic cups are provided in Reception class.
  • The school also has water fountains provided in EYFS, KS1 and KS2 outside areas.

Curriculum

  • The formal curriculum develops pupil’s knowledge of healthy eating through PSHE, Science and cross curricular links.
  • The profile of healthy eating is raised through focus on science and DT topics, healthy food activities and workshops during Science Week.
  • In EYFS the children learn about what keeps them healthy in PSE and Understanding of the world and in Key Stage 1 and 2 children learn the importance of healthy living in Science, DT and PSHE. Topics include: Ourselves, Health and Growth, Keeping Healthy and eat more Fruit and Vegetables. The message of healthy living is threaded through the New Primary Curriculum and especially through PSHE and Science.
  • After school gardening club runs where vegetables, fruits and herbs are grown seasonally.
  • In the EYFS vegetables are grown seasonally and the produce is used to make healthy foods such as salads and soups.

Provision for Staff

  • Staff are encouraged to eat healthily themselves and set an example to the children.
  • Many staff members choose to have a school dinner. Some choose to eat with the children.
  • Staff have discussions about healthy eating and the food policy. This ensures that everyone is part of the process and that opinions of staff, pupils and parents are valued.
  • Staff involved in food preparation for breakfast and extended school has a food hygiene certificate.
  • The school is in discussion with Harrisons Catering in order to maintain healthy standards for school dinners.

Parents

  • Information about school meals is shared with parents via menus displayed in the front foyer, newsletters and on the school website.
  • The school can provide parents with healthy eating guides and packed lunch ideas that are healthy and affordable.
  • The school has sent out a parent survey asking for feedback on packed lunches and some changes the school would like to make.

Other Issues

  • Sweets or chocolates for special occasions, such as birthdays, are not encouraged by teachers or school staff.
  • Multicultural food is encouraged during parties such as Christmas, Cultural Week and school meals.
  • The use of sweets for rewards is not general practice. Instead, children are rewarded with stickers, praise, visits to other classes and assemblies to celebrate their work and children presenting their work to phase leaders and/or the head teacher.
  • Leftover fruit and milk is given to after school clubs where possible
  • Year 5 and 6 children are provided with a room if they wish to fast and pray during Ramadan, after consultation with the Senior Leadership Team.

Actions carried out recently:

  • Meeting with Harrisons and lunchtime supervisors regarding slips to put in lunch boxes has taken place.
  • North Ealing Primary continues to discuss with Harrisons about reducing sweet puddings to once a week.

*Suggested Banned list

 

  • High fat, high salt, high sugar snacks such as, cheese strings, dairylea dunkers, sausage rolls, chocolate yoghurts
  • Confectionery such as chocolate bars, chocolate-coated biscuits or sweets.
  • Sugary fruit drinks or fruit flavoured squash.

Committee with oversight for this policy
Resources
Policy to be approved by
Head Teacher
Policy last reviewed
Policy last ratified and adopted by Full Governing Body
N/A
Policy / Document due for review
Summer 2020