Woodham Academy welcomed government researchers recently to advise how to get children eating well at school. For many years, Woodham has employed its own chef and catering team. All food is fresh, sourced locally and cooked from scratch. There is nothing frozen or pre-prepared. Every day, there are at least five different types of fresh vegetables on offer. Most students take up the offer to try a bit of everything. Menus change daily, with a choice of hot meals, pasta pots, freshly made sandwiches and paninis, jacket potatoes and salads. It is no surprise that the uptake of school meals at Woodham is almost double the national average.
Last week’s visitors were impressed not just by the quality of the food on offer, but also by how Woodham encourages its students to eat well. In the dining room, students are encouraged to try new dishes and offer opinions on how to make them better. Linda Vipond, Woodham’s chef, also teaches all students about how to cook healthy food on a budget.
Christine Forsyth, headteacher at Woodham Academy says, “I believe that students should be offered food that is both tasty and good for them. As we don’t set out to make a profit from our school meals, we provide excellent value for money. I am delighted that we have been able to contribute to the school food plan and hope that more schools will recognise the importance of good food”.
