Improvements to the catering service

• Junk and processed foods were gradually reduced, and are now only served once a week, and are now less popular options.
• Chips are only available on a Friday.
• No crisps or fizzy drinks have been sold over the last 3 years.
• Set meals, which now include vegetables, have replaced the cafeteria style menu where children used to be able to choose a number of unhealthy options.
• Water is allowed in lessons.
• Drink vending machines only sell water and fruit juices. The school also has a ‘healthy eating machine,’ which sells homemade sandwiches and rolls, fresh salads, pasta salads, biscuits, fresh fruit, milkshakes and yoghurts. Some of the vending machines still sell chocolate, but as a result of the popularity of the healthy eating machines, the school has been pleasantly surprised to see that the sale of chocolate has reduced. This approach follows latest guidelines on healthier vending, see HET vending page.
• The school is broken up into two sites, and the canteen is open all day at the Upper school site due to sixth-form requests.
• Lunch is now served 15 minutes earlier for 6th formers, which helps reduce queues once the main school lunch break commences.
• China plates were introduced in September 2004 for the Upper school, students think that they are ‘great’ and treat them with respect – only one broken plate in the first 10 weeks!
• Teachers in the Lower school were encouraged to eat with the students by offering them a free school meal – this only lasted for a term, and teachers have continued to eat with the students, even though they now have to pay for their meals!
• Traceable beef, lamb and poultry are used. Eggs are organic and free range. Halal meat is also available.
• Fresh local fruits, vegetables and meats are sourced from a local organic farmer.
• Choosing foods from local supplier’s means that prices are competitive.
• Food is bought when in season to reduce the overall cost, and adding variety to the menu.
• Health and nutrition is built into the P.E. curriculum.
• Old age pensioners are invited into the school for Christmas dinner, which is organised and run by the students. They will also be visiting for lunch weekly from January 2005.
• Barking has made full use of the teaching staff expertise, especially the business studies staff who helped with the financial side of the changes, and also helped to compile the questionnaire to discover the children’s buying and social eating habits. What do your pupils really want to eat? Click here to view sample questionnaire for use with pupils and parents.

• In 2001 90% of meals were processed frozen foods, this number has fallen to 30% in 2004.
• Meal uptake has increased by nearly 30%, and is still increasing. This was surprising as the catering staff believed that uptake would reduce as children are allowed out of the school premises for lunch.
• 950-1,000 pupils consume school meals daily.

• Students, parents and staff were asked to complete questionnaires to ensure that the caterers were providing the service that was required. The response was very encouraging, positive and supportive. This also allowed the caterers to gain an insight as to what students were buying out of school and their social eating habits.
• Increase in takings by the catering service.
• Ingredients expenditure per meal has increased due to the use of ‘basic’ ingredients rather than processed ones.
• Revenue has increased through the variety of choices available from the vending machines, and profits becoming part of the kitchen budget.
• Due to the kitchen being self supported they were able to offer a student an apprenticeship, and attend catering college one day a week. This was aided by The Learning Skills Council.

• Cashless catering.
• All junk/processed foods withdrawn.
• In 2005 fresh meat, fish and poultry will be used, this will increase the expenditure on food.
• New qualifications for catering staff via the Profit Through Learning Scheme.
• An organic fruit and vegetable allotment, which is currently being organised by staff and volunteers.
• Students to organise an OAP’s Luncheon club as part of the School Committee.
• Open a school shop with a local farm, Ashlyns Farm, where organic produce are sold to parents and staff of the school and two adjoining schools.
• The school is looking for parents, students, teachers and school governors to volunteer to join a 'Nutrition in Education Panel', who would discuss the foods and services provided by the school canteen.