Schools to inform parents if their children leave at lunchtime

Published on Saturday 25 April 2009 20:00

SCHOOL pupils who head to the chip shop at lunchtime will be reported to their parents as part of a determined effort to boost healthy eating.

Youngsters will be effectively banned from leaving school premises and offered a range of clubs and activities as well as nutritious food under the pilot project.

And although the Big Eat In scheme does not physically prevent pupils visiting fast food outlets, education chiefs have warned that children who refuse to change their ways will get a letter home asking their parents to help.

The pilot starts at eight Glasgow secondary schools this August and could be extended throughout Scotland if it helps tackle the poor dietary habits of youngsters. Education chiefs also hope the initiative, which is aimed at first years, will reduce litter and boost safety.

The vast majority of Scottish schools allow children outside their gates during the lunch hour and many buy food from burger vans, takeaways and shops.

But under the new scheme pupils will be encouraged to have a packed lunch or school meal and staff will provide internet clubs, dance classes and other activities.

The schools involved are St Paul's High, Castlemilk High, Govan High, Whitehill Secondary, St Mungo's Academy, All Saints Secondary, Lochend Community High and St Thomas Aquinas.

Gerry Lyons, head teacher at All Saints and chairman of Glasgow City Council's lunch in secondary schools steering group, said he wanted to "win hearts and minds".

Lyons said: "Getting the kids on board was the biggest question, as we think the best way to do it is to be positive and get them to buy into the idea. Schools are talking about doing sport activities and lifestyle activities such as fitness and self-esteem groups, eco groups and fair-trade groups.

"I hope that the hearts and minds thing works, but if not I will talk to them about it and bring the parents on board and ask for their support, such as not giving children money for the shops. It's about not being heavy-handed."

He added: "Currently two-thirds of our children leave school at lunch and I would prefer them not to. The local shops do made-up Pot Noodles, chips and cheese, and chips and curry sauce, rolls and sausage. This project is about a better alternative."

Typical menus on offer at the schools, under Glasgow City Council's existing healthy eating Fuel Zone scheme, include soup, baked potatoes, pasta and fruit. The only drinks served are milk, water or fruit juice. Pupils can also bring in a packed lunch.

The only exception to the scheme would be children whose parents request by letter that the child leaves school to come home for lunch.

The project will run for at least a year.

Last year Public Health Minister Shona Robison voiced support for such a programme and said schools that wanted to keep children in over lunch should be "encouraged".

One school, St Mungo's RC High in Falkirk, bans pupils from leaving school at lunchtime until fifth year and feeds 1,100 pupils in 45 minutes. Chips are only served once a week and parents are requested not to send children in with sweets, cakes or fizzy drinks. Teachers say they do not have a lot of overweight children at the school and their behaviour has improved.

Eleanor Coner, information officer for the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, said the move was "sensible" but warned against making it a rule in all schools. "This is definitely worth a try as first years are generally willing to join lots of clubs. Whether it will change their minds in second year, I don't know, because one of the things about growing up is making choices. Some choices won't be very good, but eventually you realise what's not doing you any good. Not all children who leave school at lunchtime go to the chip shop; some go to supermarkets and buy sandwiches.

"I do not think this should be the rule for all schools in Scotland. A lot do not have the capacity for all children to stay at school at lunchtime, and there's nothing worse than queuing – that's what puts a lot of pupils off school lunches."

A Scottish Government spokesman said it was up to individual councils to adopt the scheme or not. He added that a new Government nutritional code for school meals was already in place for primaries and came into effect for secondaries in August.