Wising up to healthy school meals

More primary schoolchildren in Rochdale are eating healthy school meals than in other parts of the country.

Figures published by the School Food Trust showed that, across the country, more than four in 10 (43.9%) of primary pupils are opting for the meals.

But in Rochdale, the figure stands at 46.8% — higher than both the national average and the 45.7% take-up rate across the North West.

According to the information, five of the borough’s 14 secondary schools provided data, which showed 35.8% of pupils opted for the healthy meals.

Nationally, a third of secondary school students are eating school food.

Schools minister Diana Johnson said: “With this new data, we can pin-point areas where take-up is low and work with most local authorities to help them get more children eating healthy school lunches.”

The School Food Trust said these figures could not be compared with previous years because of changes to the way the statistics are collected.

Prue Leith, chairman of the School Food Trust, said: “We now have a genuine picture of take-up across the country.

“We can see that real progress is being made the length and breadth of England.”

Strict new nutritional guidelines were made compulsory in primary schools last year. The same will be introduced in secondaries this September.

In 2005, TV chef Jamie Oliver began his campaign for better quality school dinners which saw ministers ban junk food from canteens and vending machines.

In 2006, Government set a target to increase take up by 10% by this autumn.

Three years ago, 42.3% of primary pupils and 42.7% of secondary pupils were eating school meals, meaning ministers have failed to achieve the target.

The Liberal Democrat schools spokesman David Laws said: “The Government has missed its target to get more pupils to eat school meals by well over one million children.

“We now know that barely a third of secondary school pupils are eating school meals.

“There are a number of reasons why the Government has missed its target — including the rushed introduction of new food standards before the groundwork had been done to ensure children would eat the healthier option.”