Catering
To start the day we offer cereals, yogurts, hot snacks, fresh fruit and fruit juices and these are also available at morning break time. Prices range from 20p for toast to £1.15 for a delicious bacon baguette. All food is prepared daily in the school kitchens. Provision is made in the assembly hall for eating packed lunches. Parents and students are advised as to the contents of a healthy packed lunch. The school has adopted a ‘Sensible Healthy Eating Policy’ in order to provide well prepared and nutritious meals and to encourage students to develop a sensible and balanced diet. All meals either served or vended comply with or exceed the standards set by The Schools Food Trust. Vending is available before, during and after the school day.
Students in Years 7 to 11 must not leave the school premises during the lunch period. St Margaret’s Catering has recently introduced a Cashless Catering System. This is not a fingerprint system but rather a sample pattern of between 8 and 20 points on the finger that are identified by the system so that it can recognise the student. Nothing is stored. It’s automatically cancelled when the student leaves school. Money is loaded into the system at three units around the school. No cash is accepted at the food counters.
One of the advantages of a computer controlled cashless system is that it records everything that a student purchases. There is therefore the facility for parents to monitor the healthy eating habits of their children. All catering staff have recently successfully updated their NVQ Level 2 Food Safety in Catering, awarded by the Royal Institute of Public Health.
St Margaret's has a Food & Nutrition Consultative Committee which meets annually. It has members from the following bodies, governors, staff, students, parents, chefs, SSCO and SMT. This committee ensures that the latest regulations with regard to catering are adhered to and encourages the inclusion of healthy eating and lifestyles in the curriculum.