Case studies

Introduction

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A whole school approach to healthy living

Here are some examples of the fantastic work that is going on in some of our schools.

The National Healthy Schools Programme encourages schools to take a whole school approach to developing healthy lifestyles. One hundred per cent of schools in Calderdale have joined the programme, and have used it as a tool to develop the area of healthy eating.

Carr Green Junior, Infant and Nursery School has a Family Learning Programme, which includes events such as the Healthy Breakfast Challenge, which took place before an aerobic session. The school also runs a Family Learning Healthy Lunchbox Course for adults and children, which involves cooking healthy recipes. The School Change Team drew up the school’s food policy in consultation with partners such as the school meals provider and the out of school club. The Change Team consists of parents, pupils, teaching and support staff, governors, and PTA members.
Lee Mount Primary School gives out 'Healthy Lunchbox' awards each day and the winner gets free apples. Lee Mount Primary School also has a Healthy Food Club.
Park Lane High offers Theme Days to investigate healthy meals.
Parkinson Lane Primary School has a National Award for ‘Best Breakfast Club’ sponsored by Kelloggs. The packed lunches for school trips include fruit snacks, sandwiches and fruit juice, and there is an after school cookery club due to start soon! The PTA, school council, and school cook have been involved in an Asian food tasting session, with the view to include the foods on the school menu.
Ravenscliffe High School grows vegetables in its school gardens, and these vegetables are then used or sold in school. This initiative works in partnership with Copley School.
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School have a Golden Link Luncheon Club. This is held on a Wednesday and is open to all retired members of the community. This project improves the school's links with the community, and also increases the number of school meals served.
The Ridings School hosted a French Day on Thursday, 12 July 2007. This included menus written in French and English for the students to see. The food looked and tasted fantastic! There were free tasters of frogs legs and snails, and the main dishes included: truite aux amandes (trout with almonds), boeuf bourguignon (beef stew), pâté au crabe (crab cakes), fricassée de poulet (poached chicken), épinards et fromage au chèvre en flame (roasted spinach and goats cheese). The frogs legs were soon all eaten with exclamations of 'it tastes like chicken!' The food was organised and prepared by Debbie Stephenson, the catering manager, and her team in the kitchen. This was a fantastic opportunity for students to try new foods, and to learn about French cuisine.
Walsden CE (VC) Infant School works hard to ensure awareness of Healthy Eating. The introduction of a weekly ‘Healthy Lunchbox’ certificate, and open dialogue with parents, have helped to improve the standard of food to an ‘amazing’ level. A recent survey at the school showed that 98 per cent of lunchboxes include fruit, and that things like chocolate biscuits are hardly ever included. Walsden Infants' annual ‘Healthy School Week’ included a ‘healthy party’ and gave the children and their parents the opportunity to try new and less popular fruits. The children made fruit faces and fruit smoothies were offered to everybody! Walsden CE (VC) Infant School had a recent Ofsted report, and the inspector commented on the children’s enthusiasm for, and knowledge of healthy foods.
Walsden Junior School has recently seen improvements in lunchboxes since healthy eating has been highlighted. Fizzy drinks are not allowed, more water is drunk, and fresh fruit juice brought in to school. The head teacher visits the dining hall regularly, and children hold up their fruit like a Mexican wave! Children take much more interest in, and responsibility for, contents of their lunchboxes, and fruit (only) is 100 per cent accepted as the norm for playtime breaks.
West Vale Primary School provides ‘Family Service Lunches’, ‘Team Tables’ and a ‘Special Table’ at lunchtime. The supervisors encourage children to participate in games. Children can grow their own vegetables, and there is a RolyPig (a pig shaped composter!) for composting fruit waste.

Why not contact your child’s school to see what they are doing? See Calderdale schools.

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