We’re excited to share that we’ve been awarded the Bronze Healthy Schools Award!
This award recognises our ongoing commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of everyone in our school community. We’ve been working hard to promote healthy lifestyles and balanced diets and we’re proud of the progress we’ve made.
We will now look at ways to develop a healthier attitude towards snacks and look more closely at sharing ideas for healthy lunch boxes. Please see the attached links with some great ideas on providing Healthy lunches and snack.
- Healthy Lunch boxes – https://www.knowsley.gov.uk/healthy-schools-packed-lunches/lunchbox-ideas
- Healthy Lunch boxes – https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/recipes/healthier-lunchboxes/
- BBC Food – Packed lunch ideas – https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/kids_packed_lunch_ideas
- Family Ideas – https://realfood.tesco.com/family-favourites.html
- Fussy eaters – https://www.myfussyeater.com/recipes/
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/recipes_for_fussy_eaters
- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide/
- Dental Health – https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-teeth-and-gums/taking-care-of-childrens-teeth/
- Mental Health – https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/supporting-others/childrens-mental-health/
At our school, lunch boxes should not include sweets, chocolate, or fizzy drinks. We provide a balanced and nutritious lunch offer to support healthy eating habits. All children have access to filtered water machines in school and are encouraged to drink water regularly throughout the day.
Healthy Snacks
All children in EYFS and KS1 are given fruit and milk every day free of charge as part of our healthy lifestyle offer and as part of the Tesco’s Stronger Starts Initiative we are now able to offer free fruit and vegetables to KS2. We believe that by providing high-quality fruit and vegetables, many children will be encouraged to make healthy choices. It has become a welcomed and celebrated part of our routine for children to ask for fruit and vegetables.
Gardening Club
At St Columba’s Children help grow their own vegetables in our playground planters.
Our after-school gardening club has been a big hit, the children take part in planting, nurturing, and eventually harvesting vegetables and this is run by our cook Michelle. They’ve even made their own salads using the ingredients they’ve grown, which has given them a real appreciation for fresh, healthy food. It’s has also inspired our EYFS pupils, who now have their own planters and are eager to get started.
Seeing the full journey from planting to eating helps pupils understand and enjoy healthy food choices.
Seen in the pictures pupils have grown a range of vegetables that have been provided to families or been used in their school meals!
