Whole School Food Policy

 

Introduction
In our school we are committed to giving all our pupils consistent messages about all aspects of health to help them understand the impact of particular behaviours, and encourage them to take responsibility for the choices they make. This policy should be read alongside the school's PSHE, Drug Education, and Sex and Relationship policies.

 

Rationale
Elmlea Infants’ is a healthy school. It is important that we promote health awareness in all members of the school community. We can 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.

 

Aims and 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.

 

Guidelines

The school supports the '5-A-DAY' campaign to encourage children to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, which has been shown to reduce the onset of certain life-threatening conditions, as well as being helpful in tackling and preventing childhood obesity. 

Every child receives a free piece of fruit each day through the ‘Schools Fruit and Vegetable Scheme’. This is in addition to fruit brought from home for morning break or packed lunches.

Children are also encouraged to bring water to drink so that it is readily available in their classrooms at all times. This is in addition to drinks that are brought for playtime or packed lunches.

 

School lunches and packed lunches
Cooked lunches include the use of fresh fruit and vegetables each day. There is always a vegetarian option, and kitchen staff and SMSAs are aware of children who have particular dietary requirements.

Children are encouraged to talk quietly and develop acceptable table manners when eating. To celebrate success in this area, children can be invited to lunch on a special table with a table cloth and a vase of flowers once a month. Invitations are given during Achievers Assembly.

Many children bring packed lunch to school. We regularly include newsletter items about the contents of these, and we do not allow sweets, chocolate bars, nuts in any form or fizzy drinks.

 

Food across the Curriculum
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.

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.

PSHE encourages young people to take responsibility for their own health and well-being and teaches them the importance of healthy lifestyles.

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.

The Life Education Mobile Classroom visits us every year and provides a structured and progressive focus on all aspects of health education, emphasising the importance of making healthy choices for ourselves.

School visits often provide children with activities and experiences to support the above elements of the curriculum.

 

Partnership with parents and carers
The partnership of home and school is critical in shaping how children and young people 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.

Parents and carers are regularly updated on our water and packed-lunch policies through school newsletters. We ask parents not to send in sweets, chocolate bars, nuts, or fizzy drinks and we remind them that only water may be drunk during the school day in the classrooms.

Prior to the Christmas parties letters are sent home with suggestions for suitable food to send in, and again a reminder is included about nuts.

 

Conclusion

The health, social and emotional well being of all members of our school community is of paramount importance. We encourage our children to learn to make healthy choices for themselves and to establish life long attitudes and patterns of behaviour that will help them to grow into happy healthy teenagers and adults.

This policy supports our Aims and Values and all areas of Every Child Matters.