EB top ten: outstanding school catering

2

Hasland Infant and Nursery school, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

Hasland Infant and Nursery school takes the second position for its efforts to improve the children's dining experience. The school upgraded its kitchen and canteen in July 2016 to improve the pupil experience and increase school-meal take-up. The project, funded with the help of Derbyshire County Council funding, saw a number of actions taken that would change the children’s dining experience. In addition to the Silver Food for Life menu offered to all primary schools across Derbyshire, a deli bar was purchased offering a daily choice of freshly prepared sandwiches and filled rolls. A bespoke self-serve salad bar is also available. To encourage children to scrap plate waste a waste trolley was manufactured with a coloured screen to stop waste food being seen. The menu is discussed at morning registration and copies of the menu can be found in all of the classrooms and at parent collection points across the school. A bespoke presentation table is positioned at the entrance to the dining room and displays the daily choice. The project took a total of seven weeks to complete. The completed kitchen has a new ventilation system with state of the art cooking equipment installed to guarantee that high quality food can be served to the children each day. The additional service points in the dining room encourage children to develop life skills and influence choosing the right food. The children, catering staff and staff are now delighted with their new facility. Following the changes to the kitchen and dining room, take up of meals rose to 87 per cent from 85 per cent in 2015-16.