Background Information
Dulwich Hamlet is a community junior school for 7 to 11 year olds. The school is located in London and has 360 pupils on roll. Overall 260 pupils take a school meal.
Dulwich Hamlet has been at the heart of the local community since 1884. Since that time, local children have poured into the school from the surrounding area, some accompanied by parents, and even grandparents, who were also pupils at the school. The school has become integral to village life and a cornerstone of the community.
Why did the school want to improve the school lunch provision?
Dining space
In 2009 It was recognised that the old dining space was cold and noisy and in need of redecoration. The area was small and overcrowded at lunchtimes. School meal times were rushed and not conducive to socialising. Dining tables were laid out in a uniform way and pupils queued around the outside of the dining room, which disrupted diners.
Kitchen area:
The kitchen area was large and a lot of space was not being utilised for food production.
School food:
Only 100 pupils were taking a school meal and this was producing a high volume of food wastage. Pupils’ were not satisfied with the food quality and level of food choice available.
“mash potato was soggy” Lois year 5.
Parents were surveyed, on the lunchtime provision, and feedback highlighted that they were concerned about the quality of the food being served. Pupils were also surveyed, and reported that meal choices were limited, especially for vegetarian options, and some of the food was not popular
Who was involved in implementing the improvements?
- Pupils
- Parents
- Governors
- Head teacher
- Business Manager
- Facilities Manager
- Catering Provider
How were the improvements funded?
The school put in a bid to the Primary Capital Programme and received funding via the Local Authority, to refurbish the kitchen and dining spaces. The school contributed 10% from within their budget to contribute towards the refurbishment work. A further smaller grant was awarded from the Primary Capital Programme, with which the school match funded to create a covered outdoor eating area.
What improvements were made to the lunchtime provision?
Dulwich Hamlet Junior School invited parents to an open evening, to view the existing dining space and to taste the school food. The school gathered feedback from the parents on how the dining space could be improved and fed this back to the architect. Dulwich Hamlet School commissioned Mike Moxley Architects Ltd to create a new design for the kitchen area and dining space. View the floor plans at the foot of the page.
Dining space:
Between 2007 and 2008 the senior leadership team developed ideas for improving the school food service. It took a further year for Dulwich Hamlet to secure funding and planning permission to commence the refurbishment work. In December 2009 the refurbishment work was completed and the new kitchen and dining space was officially opened in January 2010.
During the refurbishment period pupils dined in a separate hall, at the other end of the school. Soundproofing wall and roof tiles have been installed in the new dining space, to reduce noise levels over lunchtimes.
Underfloor heating has been added, to tackle issues around room temperature. Dining tables are now set out in a less uniform manner, which has helped to improve the ambience in the dining room. New crockery has been purchased, to replace the previous flight trays. The space has also been utilised as a gallery area for pupil’s artwork. In January 2010 Parents and Governors were invited to a launch event, where the new dining area was opened.
Pupils now queue up outside, under a covered, area and wait to enter the dining area. Each class takes it in turns to enter the dining area and queue up at the servery. Lunchtime monitors (pupil volunteers) supervise the dining room and support other pupils to self clear their plates. In return they receive a sticker for each sitting and a small reward e.g. stationary item.
The school has created an outside dining space, next to the covered queuing area. Round picnic tables and chairs have created capacity for a further 72 pupils to have their school meal. Seats are reserved for school meal pupils, as a priority, to increase take up. Packed lunch and school meal pupils can eat together either in the dining area or outside space.
Kitchen area
The kitchen area was reduced and some of the excess space incorporated into the dining area, to increase the seating capacity from 96 to nearly 200 seats (including the outdoor seating area). View the floor plans at the foot of the page.
An electric, soundproof, screen separates the kitchen and dining area to enable the new dining space to be utilised for teaching.
School Food:
The catering company attended school council meetings, to identify key issues with the school food. Parents similarly were invited to form a working party, to meet and suggest ways in which to improve the quality and nutritional content of the school food. As a direct response to feedback, the catering provider introduced a new menu, which is rotated on a 4 week cycle. Popular dishes were included and more vegetarian options were added.
Due to pupil feedback the caterers also introduced a ‘juice day’, once a week. Food ingredients are sourced locally, where possible.
To reduce food wastage the school introduced a pre-order system, to enable caterers to prepare food on demand. Menus and order forms were sent home every 4 weeks and pupils asked to make their meal selections in advance
Menu Ideas
Click here to download (Adobe pdf doc 54KB)
Whole school approach:
As part of the renovation work the school installed a new art and technology room, complete with a kitchen area. Cookery clubs are run after school to enable pupils to learn about preparing healthy food.
What have been the benefits to the school?
Since opening the new dining space in January 2010 overall take up has increased from 100 pupils to 260 pupils. Take up of free school meals is at 100%.
Dining space:
The new indoor space is now a pleasant environment, which promotes social interaction. Noise levels have been significantly reduced, through the installation of sound proofing wall and ceiling tiles. The underfloor heating improved the temperature of the indoor dining space. Seating capacity has been increased in the dining area and through the addition of the outdoor seating area. The new queuing system has reduced pressures on the servery area and minimised the disruption to diners.
Feedback from the pupils has also been very positive.
A Report on First Feedback on the New Dining Hall and New School Meals
Click here to download (Adobe pdf doc 990KB)
“The lighting is much better and you can hear each other talk. It’s nice to stay inside even on a sunny day. There is much more space to move around.” Harriet Yr 5 (School Council Member)
“The happy environment is a pleasure to eat in and the plates make the food taste even yummier. However the food is my favourite thing because it is of a huge variety and is really tasty”. Rosie 6JP
Kitchen area:
New equipment in the kitchen area has enabled staff to produce new and imaginative menus. The disused space has been utilised to create more seating in the dining area.
School food:
Pupils always get their preferred option of school food, through the pre-ordering system. The new menu offers a wider selection of meal choices, particularly more vegetarian options. Food wastage has also been reduced significantly, as caterers now prepare food to order.
“There are lots of options for vegetarians and now there is more quorn on the menu” Lois (Yr 4) School Council Member.
“I love the juice days” Callum (Yr 4)
Whole school approach
Pupils have the opportunity to learn about food, through the curriculum and in cookery clubs, which is helping to raise an awareness of healthy eating, throughout the school.
“I have made vegetable soup and bruschetta” Callum (Yr 4)
I love the new Design and Tecnology suite as I get lots of responsibility, and more time cooking and designing food packaging” Lois (Yr 4) School Council Member.
Tips for success:
Sonia Case, Headteacher, comments “Create a working party, involving parents and governors, as this will help you to identify some of the key issues with your school meal service”.
Future Priorities:
- To keep reviewing and reinventing the menus
- To carry on consulting with parents
- To promote the service at parents evenings
- To continue to try to reduce food waste
- To find solutions to tackle issues around portion size
- To continue to collect pupil ideas
- To consider whether to continue to work with an external catering provider or bring the catering provision in-house
- To install an awning over the outdoor seating area
Floor plans
Dulwich Hamlet Floorplans
Click here to download (Adobe pdf doc 3,664KB)
Further information
If you would like further information about this case study then please contact the School Food Trust on 0800 089 5001 or alternatively please email info@childrensfoodtrust.org.uk
