Case studies
Healthy eating
Boyton CP School. The school runs a healthy eating tuck shop which is very popular with the children. It was established by Christine Forster, Teaching Assistant, along with the members of the School Council. All the children tasted various healthy snacks and decided which should be purchased in bulk for sale in the tuck shop which is open at morning break on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. All children from Year 2 to Year 6 take turns to run the tuck shop with Mrs Forster’s support. Snacks are 20p each and fruit drinks are 10p each and the tuck shop is self-funding.
Calstock CP School. The school has been developing links with Tamar Grow Local, a community interest company promoting sustainable and affordable local produce in the Tamar Valley. Tamar Grow Local has three areas of focus: community (providing opportunities and support for local people to grow their own food); commercial (working with commercial growers to increase the availability and consumption of local food); and educational (raising the profile of the benefits of local food). Under the education focus the school decided to hold a Family Cookery Day and to invite family members along to school so that they could cook with their children. There was a lot of thought and discussion among staff, children and Tamar Grow Local around the choice of food. Finally they decided to show how "fast food" could be a healthy and enjoyable option and chose a menu of burgers and side salad. Every child in the school made their own bap and burger using locally-sourced ingredients as far as possible. Once made, everyone enjoyed eating them, washed down with a glass of locally-pressed apple juice. It was a super day - hands-on learning at its best. In 2008 the school is continuing to work with Tamar Grow Local as part of the Year of Food and Farming, focusing once again on healthy eating using locally-sourced ingredients.
Hayle Community School Four Year 10 students took part in International Masterchef, a competition celebrating food from around the world. They had to produce a main course and dessert reflecting the culture of one of the European coutries the school uses as part of its Languages curriculum. The judges included Stephane Delourme (Head Chef at Rick Stein's restaurant) and Ms McLoughlin (the school's Food Technology teacher). Charlie Williams, who cooked pan-fried scallops with tomato salsa, seafood paella and chocolate mouse (yes, mouse not mousse), was the winner.
St Merryn School. A key quantitative outcome for the school was to ensure that 85% of children ate fruit or vegetables for tuck. They began by discussing why they wanted this outcome and considering the importance of fruit and vegetables in the diet. They then asked that the children bring only fruit or vegetables for their tuck. After a short while they noticed that some children were bringing no tuck. The School Council discussed this and decided that if the fruit and vegetables were provided (as they were at Key Stage 1) the children would eat them. The school began using part of their standards fund grant to find fruit and vegetables for everyone and the percentage eating the tuck is now in the high 90s.
Tregadillett Community Primary School The school uses Food Technology Activity Packs produced by Cornwall County Council's Design and Making Centre. Pupils won a national competition sponsored by Country Life Organic Milk. The winning menu was designed by pupils Cameron McIntosh, Nathan James and Luke Bailey; it won praise for its use of fruit and vegetables grown in the school's own garden.
Whitemoor CP School has introduced a restaurant service for school meals and queuing has been eliminated, with social skills benefits. The restaurant service is popular with both children and staff.
