Background Information
Rawmarsh Community School, Rotherham is a mixed comprehensive and specialist sports college with nearly 1100 students on roll. Pupils’ behaviour when going off-site at lunch times was undermining the school’s aim of serving the local community. So, the school decided to tackle this in a way that would simultaneously promote and encourage healthy eating and active lifestyles among its pupils.
Action:
The school decided to:
- implement a stay-on-site policy
- present this policy in the school’s prospectus as a non-negotiable*
- split lunch time into two, 30-minute sessions during which activities are held. Pupils eat their lunch in one session and participate in activities during the other – these are called ‘active lunchtimes.’ Among the most popular activities are football, cricket, hockey, swing ball and dizzy discs
- refurbish the dining room and open other areas of the school, including some classrooms, to enable more pupils to dine on site
- revamp the outside quad area and add undercover seating and tables
- install two extra enclosed spaces with shelter, one of which has a covered dance floor and facilities for pupils to play table-games
Impact
The stay-on-site policy is now an intrinsic part of the school culture with fewer pupils queuing at local fast food outlets. This has decreased tension in the local community. Furthermore, the staff do not have to spend the majority of the afternoon lessons dealing with issues that have arisen off-site during the lunch break.
Pupil lateness and absence in the afternoons are no longer issues. Performance and concentration in afternoon lessons has improved since implementing the policy, which has helped raise pupil aspirations and self esteem.
Headteacher John Lambert, who has received many letters in support of the stay-on-site policy, said: “The gains we have seen have been well worth the challenges. The pupils seem happier and the school is perceived as caring for their well-being. “I would do it again in an instant, as the benefits have far outweighed the financial costs.”
Tips
Thorough planning and preparation are key to success.
For more information about active lunchtimes and the new dining areas at the school, please visit www.rawmarsh-comp.rotherham.sch.uk/activelunch.asp)
If you would more information on how Rawmarsh Community School improved their lunchtime service please read the extended case study by clicking on the following link:
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/casestudies/rawmarshschool
Contact details
If you would like further information about this case study then please contact us on 0114 2996901or alternatively email the School Food Trust at info@childrensfoodtrust.org.uk
