Food policy

Whole School Food policy

Rationale

Our School is a healthy school. It is important that we consider every element of our work to ensure that we promote health awareness in all members of the school community. We hope to provide a valuable role model to pupils and their families with regard to food and healthy eating patterns.

Through effective leadership, the school ethos and the curriculum, all school staff can bring together all elements of the school day to create an environment which supports a healthy lifestyle.

Objectives

• To ensure that we are giving consistent messages about food and health
• To give our pupils the information they need to make healthy choices
• To promote health awareness
• To contribute to the healthy physical development of all members of our school community
• To encourage all children to eat healthily
• To offer healthy food and drink at all appropriate opportunities

What do we do

Healthy Snacks

All FS and KS1 classes are provided with a piece of fruit, which is shared at breaktime for all class members. Children in pairs are given responsibility for collecting the fruit from the staff room and bringing it to the classroom.

Children in KS2 are encouraged to bring healthy foods to school for break time snacks.

School lunches

1. All Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are eligible under the Universal Free School Meals, to be provided with a hot school meal in partnership with Local Food Links. These meet national nutritional requirements at Silver level and are sourced, and cooked locally. 

2. Packed lunches may be brought in from home for those children who do not want to take up the free school meal or in Year 3 & 4 if they do not want to purchase a hot school meal. We encourage children to bring in healthy lunchboxes so we do not allow sweets, or fizzy drinks.

Water

Water is freely available throughout the school day to all children and staff. Children may drink water at any time except during assembly. Regular water breaks are built into the school day and curriculum by class teachers. FS and KS1 children are also reminded to drink water at their snack time, all children are asked to bring in named water bottles. 

Food across the Curriculum

In FS, KS1 and KS2, there are a number of opportunities for pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of health, including healthy eating patterns and practical skills that are needed to understand where food comes from such as shopping, preparing and cooking food.

Literacy provides children with the opportunity to explore poetry, persuasion, argument and narrative work using food and food related issues as a stimulus, e.g. writing to a company to persuade them to use non-GM foods in children's food and drink etc.

Maths offers the possibility of understanding nutrition labelling, calculating quantities for recipes, weighing and measuring ingredients.

Science provides an opportunity to learn about the types of food available, their nutritional composition, digestion and the function of different nutrients in contributing to health and how the body responds to exercise.

RE provides the opportunity to discuss the role of certain foods in the major religions of the world. Children experience different foods associated with religious festivals.

ICT can afford pupils the opportunity to research food issues using the internet and other electronic resources. Pupils design packaging and adverts to promote healthy food choices.

Food Technology as part of DT provides the opportunity to learn about where food comes from and apply healthy eating messages through practical work with food, including preparation and cooking.

Relationships Sex Health and Education (RSHE) encourages young people to take responsibility for their own health and well-being, teaches them how to develop a healthy lifestyle and addresses issues such as body image. Pupils are able to discuss issues of interest to young people, e.g. advertising and sustainable development.

Geography provides a focus on the natural world and changing environment, offering the chance to consider the impact our consumer choices have on people across the world who rely on growing food as their source of income. History provides insight into changes in diet and food over time. 

Physical Education provides pupils with the opportunity to develop physically and to understand the practical impact of sport, exercise and other physical activity such as dance and walking.

Exemptions to the School Food Regulations

The School Food regulations do not apply to food provided:

• at school parties,

• celebrations to mark religious or cultural occasions,

• at fund-raising events,

• as rewards for achievement, good behaviour or effort,

• for teaching food preparation and cookery skills

• on an occasional basis by parents, children, visitors & volunteers

In order to clarify these areas, all school staff will therefore:

• Monitor foods provided at school parties to ensure children are provided with a balanced range of options from all 5 food groups (starchy foods; fruit and vegetables; milk and dairy; meat, fish, eggs and beans; foods high in fat, sugar and salt.)

• Ensure that any classroom activities involving chocolates or sweets being given out eg Easter Egg Hunts, decorating cakes etc, will only be given out and sent home on rare occasions, again, mainly at Easter and Christmas times. Children will be strongly encouraged to take these treats home before eating.

• Continue to allow children, who wish to do so, to bring into school and share any birthday cakes and treats with their peers to celebrate their birthday.

• Ensure that all children with identified food allergies are sensitively prohibited from eating foods they should not eat or come into contact with.

Partnership with parents and carers

The partnership of home and school is critical to us in shaping how children behave, particularly where health is concerned. Each must reinforce the other. This is not always easy but our school is well placed to lead by example.

The school will encourage the ‘Friends of Cerne Abbas CE VC First School’, to consider the Food Policy in the range of refreshments offered for sale to the children at fundraising activities.

Role of the Governors

Governors monitor and check that the school policy is upheld and can also offer guidance where a member of the body has particular expertise in this area.

Monitoring and review

The Head teacher and PSHE coordinator are responsible for supporting colleagues in the delivery of the Food Policy.

The Head teacher, Finance and Business Manager and Governors are responsible for the provision of school meals

Reviews take place formally and informally and include pupils, governors, staff and parents. 

This policy will be reviewed every 3 years.