Many schools are discovering that extending and/or enhancing the lunchtime brings welcome benefits for the school as well as the pupils.
Making the most of lunchtime
Over the last 20 years or so, schools have been under increasing pressure to reduce the time allowed for a lunch break.
That pressure has often come from the difficulties in finding time for the curriculum and from the lack of suitable space for pupils to eat and socialise. Yet, evidence shows that this trend goes against what children need to develop and to learn to their full potential.
Recent research for the School Food Trust shows that :
1. the lunch break is seen, by most pupils, as the most important part of the day, as they crave time to refuel, relax, socialise and exercise. The better their ‘customer journey’ or experience, the more likely they are to choose and enjoy a healthy school meal*
2. having a nutritionally-balanced school meal in an attractive environment helps improve children’s behaviour and their ability to focus on learning, in the afternoons**.
So, during that lunch break, children need to be able to eat nutritionally-balanced, appealing meals in a comfortable, enjoyable environment. They are then more likely to benefit from the break and return to the classroom refreshed and ready to learn.
It makes sense then that, rather than reducing the lunch break, pupils’ health, development, behaviour and performance is better served by enhancing or extending it.
So how can schools embrace this challenge, especially in the face of unrelenting pressures from other aspects of the school day?
Take a look at the following, brief case studies. They show what some schools have achieved – sometimes in spite of significant challenges – by planning, consulting with the whole school community, and being prepared to make some bold decisions.
- A study into the impact of the customer journey on school meal take up. (Please email info@childrensfoodtrust.org.uk for more information on this).
