Healthy Schools.

[Jane Jackson]

Is your grandchild's school part of The Healthy Schools Initiative ? If so how has it gone down with them?
Jane

[Enid]

Well, no, not at school yet. But as someone who used to be involved at management level, although the healthy school's initiative was well meant, the resulting paperwork, taking up days and days of experienced teacher time was ridiculous. It was never sufficient to do healthy things such as provide fruit for all the children every day, or run an allotment, everything had to be recorded with pages and pages of evidence to a format handed down from above in an unresponsive website. So - good idea but bureaucratic processes.

[Jane Jackson]

Hello Enid,
I was the Healthy Schools Co-ordinator at my school and agree about the paperwork etc.
The most important thing that I was told by a dietician who was doing some training with us was that she had a huge increase of children who now attended her hospital clinic with type 2 diabetes , and that some of those children would not see their 40 birthday. There was total silence in that room.

Jane

[Enid]

Yes, that is really scary, my gripe though is that schools are always expected to be the agents of social change when the responsibility lies with firstly with parents and the extended family, and, much more importantly, with the big companies who can flog their disgusting products very cheaply without punitive taxation. I also think that exhortations to parents who are often struggling with low incomes and perhaps very limited knowledge of food shopping or preparation is pointless. If the government was really serious about improving the health of the nation they could introduce some really effective fiscal measures. But I'm not holding my breath.

[mumsie_wumsie]

Hi, three of my grand children go to a small village school. There are only about 120 pupils in the whole school (includes reception through to age 11). The school has its own small kitchen and own cook, who makes everything from scratch and all healthy wholesome foods.Some food is grown in the school allotment and they also now have chickens which obviously provide the eggs. Meat comes from a local butcher and with every meal there is a selection of salad etc. My grandchildren love their dinners at school and always get plenty to eat. I think over 3/4 of the pupils now have a school dinner rather than taking a packed lunch to school. xx mumsie

[plantaholic]

That is wonderful MW. Good wholesome food cooked from scratch.

[Enid]

Wow, MW. Well done that cook and well the school management and governors for making it possible.

[Jane Jackson]

Interesting that this thread has been posted on today,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddr...ool-meals.html
Jane

[mumsie_wumsie]

Yes a real lovely cook. And as an extra she will make any childs birthday cake, any shape, any size, and a really reasonable price.

[pilates]

A real treasure.I bet the children love her to bits!