It’s easy to think that a good lunchtime is all about the food. But did you know that what’s most important to children isn’t what they eat - it’s where they eat?
For starters:
An independent study carried out on behalf of the School Food Trust found that cramped canteen layouts, long queues, noise and inefficient payment methods can all discourage children from choosing a healthy school meal.
In response, we launched our Canteen Rescue programme in 2010 to help schools make improvements to their dining environments, and to raise awareness of the importance of a decent space in which to eat at school for children’s learning and behaviour.
The first phase of Canteen Rescue was a national competition to give five schools a complete dining room makeover. We think it’s vital that pupils are at the heart of dining room design and planning, so we asked them to take the lead. We had entries from over 1,000 schools, each sending in their own designs for a ‘dream canteen’.
Don’t miss the story of makeover winner Albany Science College. Pupils there are now enjoying an authentic 1950s experience every time they eat, with booth seating, vibrant colour scheme and working vintage jukebox! Watch our film to see how they did it.
Following the success of the national competition, Canteen Rescue then helped a further eight schools by offering grants of up to £10,000 to make changes to their dining rooms.
We’ve been back to some of the schools to see the changes they’ve made and to ask them – has it made a difference to dinner time?
- Greenfield Primary School, Walsall
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/casestudies/greenfield - Batley Girls High School
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/casestudies/batleygirls - Laleham Gap Primary School, Broadstairs
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/casestudies/lalehamgap - Elmore Green Primary School, Walsall
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/casestudies/elmoregreen
The main course
From all the responses we had to the competition and all the regular correspondence we receive from schools, we know that many of you are facing similar canteen nightmares and it can be difficult to know where to start– we can help.
We can provide you with expert, independent support tailored to your school needs. From reviewing your existing dining space, reporting on the ways you could improve and helping you find budget-friendly ways to make changes, our advisors can help you use your dining room to improve your bottom line at lunch.
Call: 0800 089 5001
Email: info@childrensfoodtrust.org.uk
Making Room for Dinner: www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/mrd
