LenhamPrimary School

Healthy Eating Policy

February 2013

Healthy Eating Policy

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Aims
  3. Food provision
  4. School meals
  5. Packed Lunches
  6. Breakfast Club
  7. Snacks
  8. Food Allergies
  9. The formal Curriculum
  10. Whole School Food Policy
  11. The Role of the PSHE Coordinator
  12. The Role of the Headteacher
  13. The Role of the Governors
  14. The role of the parents / carers
  15. Policy review
  1. Introduction

We at Lenham Primary School recognise the important relationship between a healthy diet and a child’s ability to learn effectively and achieve high standards. We recognize the role our school can play, as part of the larger community, to promote family health and sustainable food and farming practices. We believe that the sharing of food is a fundamental experience for all people, a primary way to nurture and celebrate cultural diversity and an excellent bridge for building friendships and inter-generational bonds.

We aim to ensure that healthier food and drink is provided at all times of day, taking into account of individual needs (e.g. cultural, ethical, medical), reflecting nutrition and healthy eating messages in the curriculum, and with the support of the whole school.

The Governing body recognizes its responsibility for setting a strategic framework for the schools food policy and for monitoring its implementation.

  1. Aims
  • To ensure that all aspect of food and drink affecting school promote the health and well-being of children, staff and visitors to our school.
  • To improve the health of children, staff and their families by helping to influence their eating habits through increasing their knowledge and awareness of food issues. This includes what constitutes a healthy and environmentally sustainable diet and hygienic food preparation and storage methods.
  • To increase children’s knowledge of food production, manufacturing, distribution and marketing practices, and their impact on both health and the environment.
  • To ensure that children are well nourished at school and that every child has access to safe, tasty and nutritious food and a safe, easily available water supply during the school day.
  • To ensure that food provision in the school reflects the ethical and medical requirements of staff and children.
  • To make the provision and consumption of food an enjoyable and safe experience.
  • To introduce and promote practices within the school to reinforce these aims and to remove or discourage practices that negate them.
  • To teach the link between healthy eating and drinking and learning ability.
  1. Food Provision

From September 2007 schools must comply with the Education (Nutritional Standards for School Food) Regulations 2007. These standards are applied not just to food served at lunchtime, but across the school day. The regulations divide food into a series of groups and set out how often food in each group must/can/must not be provided. E.g. fruit and vegetables must be available every day but only two portions of deep fried food can be served in one week and confectionary must not be provided at all.

Lenham Primary School promotes healthy food provision in the following ways:

  • We belong to the “School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme” which provides fresh daily fruit and vegetables to children in Pre-School and Key Stage 1.
  • If playtime snacks and drinks are brought from home children are strongly encouraged to bring in healthy options.
  • The school community is aware of the possibility of food allergies within the school population, particularly nut allergies. Children are taught not to share packed lunches and parents are reminded that there is a “No nut policy”.
  • All children are requested that they provide their own water bottle which they have with them in class allowing them easy access to water throughout the day. Each child is responsible for looking after, cleaning and refilling their own bottle
  • Support is provided for children and families about healthier lunchbox choices and playtime snack choices through leaflets, competitions, information evenings, letters etc.
  • At lunchtime classes, hot dinners and packed lunches eat together and children can sit with their friends.
  1. School Meals

We work closely with the school cook and Principles Catering Services to provide the healthiest possible menus for all our children.

  • The lunchtime menu is advertised monthly throughout the school so that parents/carers are informed about food provision.
  • Rewards are given for positive behaviour, making healthy food choices and eating their dinner e.g. stickers, certificates.
  • Regular family lunches take place where parents/carers are invited in to eat with their child.
  • Regular events take place that promote healthy eating.
  1. Packed Lunches

Lenham Primary School asks parents to support the healthy eating policy by ensuring that food provided from home considers reducing the amount of salt, fat and sugar and encourages whole meal bread, fruit and water.

A balanced packed lunch should contain:

  • Starchy foods. These are bread, rice, potatoes and pasta, and others.
  • Protein foods. These are meat, fish, eggs, beans and others.
  • A dairy item. This could be cheese or yoghurt.
  • Vegetables or salad, and a portion of fruit.

Starchy foods are a good source of energy, and should make up a third of the lunchbox. But don’t let things get boring. Instead of sandwiches give kids bagels, pitta bread, wraps and baguettes. Use brown, wholemeal or seeded bread, not white bread.

Children often like food they can eat with their fingers, sochop up raw veggies such as carrots or peppers, and give themhoumous or cottage cheese to dip the veggiesin. Breadsticks and wholemeal crackers are great finger foods and they can be spread with low-fat soft cheese or eaten with reduced-fat cheddar and pickles.

Sweets are not allowed. You could alsomake up a tasty fruit salad. Be inventive and encourage your children when they try something new.

  1. Breakfast Club

Children who don’t have breakfast may have low blood sugar and be dehydrated, which can affect their ability to concentrate. It is known that some children do not eat breakfast before leaving home. Breakfast club falls into the extended schools agenda. As well as providing a forum for healthier breakfast, the club also addresses children who need to arrive at school early and who wouldn’t otherwise have breakfast. The breakfast club offers a wide range of activities such as reading; art and craft activities; taking part in competitions; games; homework and dvd’s.

  1. Snacks

Many pupils consume large quantities of snacks every day, Lenham primary School believes that working with parents to address the need to provide healthy snacks is vital.

LPS belong to the “School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme” which provides fresh daily fruit and vegetables to children in Pre-School and Key Stage 1.

Examples of Healthy snacks are:

  • Whole pieces of fresh fruit e.g. banana, apple, pear
  • Canned fruit in natural juice
  • Dried fruit e.g. raisins or apricots
  1. Food Allergies

Food allergies produce adverse reactions to a particular food that involves the immune system. Virtually all known food allergies are proteins. They are present in the food in large amounts and often survive food-processing conditions. Allergic reactions are characterized by the rapid release of chemicals in the body that cause symptoms which can occur in minutes or up to an hour or more after eating.

Some of our children at LPS have intolerances to certain foods, to maintain a safe eating environment we ask that all parents refrain from including nuts in their child’s packed lunch.

  1. The Formal Curriculum

We regard healthy eating education as a whole school issue and we believe that opportunities to teach about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle occur throughout the curriculum.

Nutrition, healthy eating and food technology are taught directly through design and technology, science and personal, social and health education.

An ethos of safe, tasty, nutritious and environmentally sustainable food is integrated into other areas of the curriculum.

The whole school approach to healthy eating should be reflected throughout the school curriculum.

  1. Whole School Food Policy

A whole school food policy can significantly impact on the health and well-being of pupils and staff. Given the increasing evidence concerning obesity levels and the associated illnesses relating to poor diet, there is a growing recognition that schools can make a major contribution to improving the health and well-being of both pupils and staff, as well as their families. Children that eat a healthy, well balanced diet are better able to concentrate within class and are more likely to be receptive to learning. A whole school food policy is more effective than piecemeal activities and gives a consistency of message across all school activities.

Lenham Primary School

  • Has developed a framework of activities for the school which are consistent with and supportive of the overall goal of improving health and well-being
  • Ensures active pupil participation in decision management
  • Currently has National Healthy School status by working with the Healthy Schools Programme.

A Whole School Food Policy can benefit pupils, staff, parents, caterers and others associated with the school. Having a nutritionally-balanced school meal in an attractive environment helps improve children’s behaviour and their ability to focus on learning, in the afternoons.

  1. The Role of the PSHE Coordinator

It is the responsibility of the coordinator to ensure that staff and parents are informed about the healthy eating policy and that the policy is implemented effectively.

It is the coordinators role to ensure that staff are given sufficient training so that they can teach effectively and handle difficult issues with sensitivity.

The coordinator liaises with external agencies regarding the healthy eating curriculum.

The coordinator works with the Health Promoting Schools Working Party on the theme of Healthy Eating.

The coordinator monitors teaching and learning about healthy eating.

The coordinator encourages positive role models amongst staff by providing healthy options for staff treats such as fruit.

  1. The Role of the Headteacher

The Headteacher monitors the policy on a day-to-day basis and reports to the governors as required.

  1. The Role of the Governors

The Governors are responsible for monitoring the healthy eating policy and ensure that the principles are embedded in the aims and objectives for the school and its development plan. It is key that the Governing body is clear in its policy if certain food items are restricted from being brought into school from home.

The Governors support the head teacher in following guidelines from external agencies.

  1. The Role of Parents/Carers

The school is aware that the primary role in children’s healthy eating education lies with parents/carers. We wish to build a positive and supporting relationship with the parents/carers of children at our school through mutual understanding, trust and cooperation. In promoting this objective we will:

  • Inform parents about the school healthy eating education policy and practice
  • Take seriously any issue which parents raise with teachers or governors about this policy
  • Encourage parents to be involved in reviewing school policy and making modifications to it as necessary
  • Inform parents/Carers about the best practice known with regard to healthy eating so that they can support the key messages being given to children at school.
  1. Policy Review

This policy supports the schools Healthy School status and needs to be reviewed in conjunction with LPS Healthy Schools policy.

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