10:30am Friday 27th March 2009
By Saiqa Chaudhari
RECEPTION children will pay a reduced price of £1 for school meals after Easter.
Bolton Council has decided to heavily subsidise meals for younger pupils after the success of a temporary scheme in which all new starters received free school meals.
The aim is to make sure that youngsters have a healthy dinner at school regularly.
The free dinner pilot project started at the beginning of the school year and is coming to an end.
However, because it was so popular, the council has decided to act to make sure families would carry on taking advantage of school dinners.
The cost of a school meal is usually £1.75. However, a flat price of £1 will be introduced in the summer term while free school meals will be back on the menu for September’s new intake of children.
Cllr Nick Peel, Bolton Council’s executive member for environmental services, said: “We are now trying a new tactic in what is a trial project.
“We have analysed the results of providing free school meals and they have been very encouraging in both the uptake and the positive effect that well-balanced meals have on the behaviour and achievement of children.
“We will evaluate what affect this £1 charge will have.
“We are hoping that children will continue to have a school meal because of this flat-rate charge.”
Initially the scheme was introduced for one term only, to introduce children to healthy eating and reduce childhood obesity. But its success, with an uptake of 87 per cent, led to the council extending it for a further term, at a cost of about £180,000.
Headteachers have welcomed the news that young pupils will not be charged the full price for school meals.
Simon Bramwell, headteacher of SS Simon and Jude School in Great Lever, said: “The free school meal scheme was excellent and the offer of a school meal for £1 is very good value. The impact that healthy eating has on achievement is well known.
“The governing body of our school is currently discussing ways in which the school can further improve the choice of healthy schools to children.”
School meals are guaranteed to contain one third of the recommended daily nutrition requirements for primary age children.
A typical weekly menu includes dishes such as tender garlic chicken with yoghurt dip, home-made beef burgers and chunky, soft-roasted vegetables in pasta and sauce.
Bolton School Meals produces a weekly menu showing the nutritional breakdown. It can be viewed at www.bolton.gov.uk/ schoolmeals.
schaudhari@theboltonnews.co.uk
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