WOW! That's a mouthful Episode One

Wow! That’s a Mouthful is a short film made by a group of 7, 6th form students from St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School. It was funded by the Food For Life Partnership. In the film 6th form student Tara, sets off to find out what has happened to her school meals? Why have they got rid of all the chips, burgers and fizzy drinks. She discovers that it is not just to make the school healthier. By tracing the beef in a bowl of spaghetti bolognaise from field to plate she discovers that they (the school) are support the local community and help save the environment. Episode Two to follow.

One Planet Food

On May 21st 2008, 27 year 7 students took part in the One Planet Food workshop, run in association with the schools Food For Life Partnership. During the day, the pupils were split into groups and researched various food related issues including investigating where our food comes from, how we could get locally sourced produce at school and how food can be seasonal and organic. They spent the morning gathering information and preparing presentations and in the afternoon presented their findings in assembly to the whole of year 7. The presentations varied from using powerpoints to role plays and were very successful. The pupils worked hard developing their knowledge and skills and worked brilliantly under pressure to finish the presentations on time. Well done to all who took part.

National leader on school meals

St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School has been selected by the new Lottery-funded Food for Life Partnership (FFLP) to become one of 180 Flagship Schools and Communities across England that will be recognised as national leaders on food quality and food education. St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School is one of the first 6 schools to be chosen in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Taking up the challenge laid down by Jamie Oliver’s school dinners campaign, the Food for Life Partnership has been funded by the National Lottery over five years from 2007 to help transform food culture in schools across the country.

Building on St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School’s achievements to date, the Food for Life Partnership will now help them put more fresh, local & organic food on the menu and get pupils – and interested parents and community groups – cooking and growing food and visiting local farms.

St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School will now receive hands-on support from Food for Life Partnership staff to achieve a Food for Life Partnership GOLD Mark, which will put us at the top of the league table on food culture in school. This will mean that:
1. Our catering team will get help sourcing at least 75% fresh, 50% locally sourced, and 30% organic ingredients for our school meals.
2. For one week we will host the Food for Life Partnership Cooking Bus, which will welcome, staff, parents and community groups on board alongside pupils to teach useful cooking skills in practical hands-on sessions.
3. A garden education officer will help the school community further develop an organic growing area in which pupils can grow food for school meals and cooking.
4. We will build stronger links with community food businesses and one or more local farms.
5. Pupils will be given some of the most enjoyable and memorable experiences of their school lives, cooking and growing food and linking with a local farm.

Headteacher Mr J McNally said: “I am delighted St. Wilfrid’s has been selected to work with the Food for Life Partnership on this project. The partnership recognised our achievements in providing healthy food for our pupils and raising awareness of healthy, sustainable lifestyles but this support will help us take this to a new level. I very much hope and expect our partnership will provide new opportunities for the whole of our local community to learn more about all aspects of food, including its production. I know our pupils will really enjoy the extra experiences we will now be able to offer. ”

Quote from Catering Manager…..

“This gives the catering team a great opportunity to change the food culture of St Wilfrid’s.

The staff will have the opportunity to work with the Food for Life Partnership organisations, and build on their knowledge and skills around food and nutrition.

We already embrace giving our students some locally sourced food and we look forward to developing this provision with the help of the Food for Life Partnership”.

Amanda Donnelly, FFLP Yorkshire and Humber regional co-ordinator, says: “St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School has been selected as a Flagship School because they are committed to giving food the priority it deserves as part of their commitment to the life-long welfare and skills of their pupils, and are willing to share their learning with other schools. Other schools wanting to get involved should visit www.foodforlife.org.uk

It is more important than ever before that young people learn in school about the impact of food on their health and that of the planet. On current trends, by 2020 over one quarter of children will be obese and children will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. A fifth of our climate change impact comes from the food we eat.”

Notes
1. The Food for Life Partnership is a five-year Lottery-funded initiative, led by the Soil Association, to transform food culture in schools and communities across England, bringing together the practical expertise of the Focus on Food Campaign, Garden Organic and the Health Education Trust.

The Soil Association is the UK's leading environmental charity promoting sustainable, organic farming and championing human health.

The Focus on Food Campaign is the leading food education support programme for the teaching of cooking in the UK’s primary and secondary schools.

Garden Organic is the UK’s leading organic growing charity dedicated to researching and promoting organic gardening, farming and food.

The Health Education Trust is the national charity dedicated to initiating and supporting work with children and young adults to encourage the growth of healthy lifestyles.

The Food for Life Partnership works to transform school and community food culture across England, by harnessing the ideas and initiative of young people and community leaders. Our mission is to reach out through schools to give communities access to seasonal, local and organic food, and to the skills they need to cook and grow fresh food for themselves. We want a new generation to explore how their food choices impact on their health and that of the planet, and to rediscover the pleasure of taking time to enjoy real food.

2. Other schools wishing to become Flagship Schools should go online and join the Food for Life Partnership at http://www.foodforlife.org.uk/
6 schools in Yorkshire and Humber have been selected this time round – 14 more will be selected from 2008 onwards.

Junior Amateur Chef of the Year

On the day that Schools Secretary Ed Balls announced cookery lessons are to be compulsory in England's secondary schools for children aged 11 to 14, St Wilfrids pupils attended an exciting cookery demo by Chefs from Brasserie 99. As part of Wakefield Festival of Food and Drink 2008 pupils will again be entering Junior Amateur Chef of the Year. Can we be as successful as last year and win? Our budding Jamie Olivers and Nigella Lawsons attended the demonstration by chefs Simon and Paul who demonstrated good kitchen practice and made a fantastic pasty in just a few minutes. Suma Wholefoods were there to educate pupils about the healthy, sweet and delicous taste of dried fruits such as apricots and mango, as well as the nutrious use of lentils and beans. The prizes are a fantastic iPod, plus a weeks work experience atBrasserie 99 alongside a top chef as well as a trip to Alton Towers and a meal for 4. Good Luck to everyone who enters!

Senior Citizens Christmas Party

It gave us great pleasure to welcome the Senior Citizens of North Featherstone to St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School for an afternoon of entertainment. After a Christmas celebratory drink of sherry the delicious food provided by our on-site caterers was well received. The musical entertainment was courtesy of Mr Rob Clarke (Director of Expressive Arts/Music) and the school choir, the medley of carols and traditional Christmas songs went down very well with everyone joining in. This was followed by the Prize Bingo called by Mr Ray Rowett and his lovely assistant Mrs Judy Dakers, or is that the other way around? Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to Everyone!!

JUMP INTO HEALTHY EATING!

September is the start of our new in-house catering provision using the first phase of our refurbished kitchens. Jump into Healthy Eating is our new logo (designed by Elizabeth Atkinson in Year 8) and our new ethos. Our new service provision is in the capable hands of Babs Askham, our catering manager and her wonderful team who have been with us for many years.

If I asked you what the phrase “being healthy” meant to you, what would you say? Eating five fruit and vegetables a day? Exercising daily? Looking after yourself? Being healthy to me and our school means being equipped to make the right choices to ensure we are healthy. It is having a balanced approach to living and learning. This involves body, mind and soul, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

As you know the government has introduced new food-based standards for lunchtimes and we have set up our service with these in mind. Our baguette bar in the tuck shop area along with a new vending bank, offers healthy and nutritious drinks – and also a food vender for fresh sandwiches, fruit and yoghurts is available when all other services are closed, especially for after school activities. We are introducing a new Pasta Bar in the main hall, with our new main meal menus being delivered from the “some like it hot” serving station along with baked potatoes and soup. In the sixth form the deli station will be extended; a new fridge cabinet for all-day snacks, baguettes and sandwiches will be available, a pasta bar and a help-yourself salad bar, jacket potatoes and a free-trade coffee machine will also be available.

Under government regulations confectionery is not available in school, as you know they are high in sugar and some are high in fat and do not make a valuable contribution to a child’s nutrient intake. We want to encourage everyone to eat a balanced meal. If you do provide a packed lunch please make it a healthy one !

Please follow these links for suggestions/ideas for healthier packed lunches.

http://www.foodfitness.org.uk/

http://www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/content.asp?ContentId=295

http://www.nutrition.org.uk/upload/Healthy%20Eating%20for%20School-aged%20Children.pdf

http://www.nutrition.org.uk/home.asp?siteId=43§ionId=1381&subSectionId=1123&parentSection=303&which=6

Healthy School!

Peter Ward, Assessor for Healthy Schools, was in school to meet with the Student Council and other groups in order that we may be awarded the Healthy School recognition!