Cumbria Healthy Schools Re-Accreditation CASE STUDY

Name of School: School Coordinator: Area of de elo!ment: Improvements to school lunch time Yarlside Nursery and Primary School Kishanda Blake

"hy did you focus on this area# The staff at Yarlside wanted to improve the school meal provision for our pupils. With national trends indicating that obesity is on the increase, we wanted to take steps to educate the children on healthy eating and demonstrate this through our practice. The school council raised concerns that lunchtimes werent as enjoyable as they could be. They felt that they wanted to sit next to their friends rather than sit next to other children that were having a similar lunch to them ie school meal or packed lunch. reviously, all school dinners ate first along with !"# packed lunches and then the second sitting would consist of !"$ packed lunches. $utline% in no more than &'( )ords% ho) you de elo!ed initiati es *comment on )hole school a!!roach+: In October 2005 a !uestionnaire "as sent out to parents askin# their vie"s on chan#in# school lunches to healthy options$ %rom the &eedback provided by this in&ormation the school trialled a ne" healthy lunch menu$ 'e received a very positive response and more children be#an to stay &or school lunches$ 'e adopted this as a re#ular option &or children$ In September 200( the School )ouncil su##ested that "e could do more to make lunch times more pleasurable$ *o &ind out "hat improvements the children &elt could be initiated the School )ouncil devised a !uestionnaire that "as sent out to each class$ +ppreciatin# that many other schools &ace the same dilemma as "e did and kno"in# that there is a lot o& #ood practice #oin# on in other schools "e chose this to be our theme &or a School )ouncil %orum that "as to be held at our school in ,anuary 200-$ .ach school delivered a presentation e/plainin# "hat lunch time "as like in their school$ 0ots o& #ood ideas "ere shared$ 'e discussed establishin# a lunch time contract that could be a#reed "ith the "hole school$ Su##estions "ere put &or"ard as to "hat could be put in this contract$ .ach school "as #iven a copy &or them to take back and amend as they &elt appropriate &or their school$ *o round o&& "e su##ested that as a re"ard &or #ood behaviour at lunchtime the best class could be a"arded the 12olden Spoon3 by 4idday supervisors$

Pa#e 5 o& 2

"hat has been the im!act for the "hole School Community 6up to one side o& +78 %rom the in&ormation #athered by each o& these sources the &ollo"in# chan#es have taken place$ Ne" sittin#s have been established "here children can sit to#ether in key sta#es re#ardless o& "hether they are a packed lunch or school dinner$ 0unch time passes have been created by the school council to prevent unauthorised access into school by children$ 4usic "as trialled but proved to be unsuccess&ul$ Best class at linin# up in each key sta#e 6includin# playtimes8 receives a certi&icate and e/tra use o& the play e!uipment on a %riday$ + lunch time contract has been a#reed by the "hole school$ ,u#s o& "ater are placed on each table &or easy access$ +ll tables are cleaned be&ore the second sittin#$

%eedback &rom class councils and school council have indicated that the children are much happier "ith the ne" arran#ements &or lunch$ *he hall has been much !uieter9 *here is less movement around school at lunchtime9 *hey can sit "ith their &riends re#ardless o& "hether they are packed lunch or school dinner9 *he tables are cleaner "hen children sit do"n to lunch9 *here is easy access to "ater9 4idday supervisors have &ound that the ne" system "orks "ell$ *hey reco#nise that the children are eatin# more healthy &oods even the packed lunches$ *he school dinners do tend to tail o&& durin# the summer period but increase a#ain durin# the "inter$ *he ne" lunch time passes have helped the midday supervisors to keep better control o& the children and "here they are$ *he year ( monitors have been very e&&icient$ Parents are happy that their children are #ettin# a healthy school lunch o& their choice$ Parents have responded positively to the #uidance "e have o&&ered related to healthy packed lunches and the ma:ority o& children are no" eatin# more healthily$ 4idday supervisors have noted that &ruit appears to have replaced the chocolate biscuits and s"eets$

This form is available electronically by contacting Claire Stephens, telephone 01539 773502 or e.mail claire.stephens c!mbriacc.gov.!"