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School Lunches Strike Gold!
16 September 2010 in School News
In the wake of Organic Fortnight (3-17 September 2010), the Edinburgh Rudolf Steiner School has become the first independent school in Scotland to receive a Gold Food for Life Catering Mark from the Soil Association.
To achieve a Gold Award, the school was required to provide evidence of its use of local and seasonal produce as well as demonstrating it was a hub for a good food culture in the local community. To do this, the school actively involved parents and community groups in the growing and cooking of the meals.
Uniquely, it is the final year pupils at the Edinburgh Rudolf Steiner School who prepare the lunches for the rest of the student body with support from their parents and Form Teacher. Running the school canteen is a business which allows pupils to learn teamwork, marketing, budgeting and organisational skills as well as food provenance. Pupil involvement helps to emphasise the importance of sourcing quality, local and organic ingredients and is built into the school’s curriculum.
Alistair Pugh from the school said: “When we started working towards this prestigious award, we adopted a whole school approach. We involved our parents, our local suppliers and our pupils to determine how the menu would evolve. By simplifying what we prepared each day, we have been able to ensure that everything, where possible, is locally sourced, organic and fresh.
“As a result, we have reduced cost, wastage and food miles while providing an innovative educational experience for our pupils. Our final year pupils run the canteen as a business and put any profits that they make at the end of the school year towards a cultural trip to Europe. This year we were fortunate to tour Russia and Ukraine. Our Class 8 pupils (13 & 14 year olds) also prepare pizzas for sale once a week as a fundraising exercise.
“We would encourage other schools to pursue a Food for Life award as it supports not only the benefits of healthy eating but also food education for the whole school community including pupils, parents and teachers. For example, gardening is part of our curriculum and our pupils grow their own organic vegetables in the school grounds which are used where appropriate as part of the seasonal menu. In addition, they volunteer at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital’s Community Garden and enjoy a varied programme of farm-based activities, food preparation and cooking classes throughout the year."