Pupils come home ‘starving’ as school runs out of food

PARENTS with children at a primary that ran out of school dinners are furious that the youngsters came home “starving” after being offered jam on toast as an alternative.

Pupils who were on the “second sitting” of school dinners at Murrayburn Primary in Sighthill were offered leftovers from the school’s breakfast club when the gammon ran out.

The children were also given the choice of baked potatoes with an egg mayonnaise filling – which most of the children could not eat – bagels, and a rice pudding snack.

Parents are angry that they paid for a proper school meal and many of the children ended up with either a dry baked potato or toast for their lunch.

School bosses have held their hands up to running out of meals last Thursday.

Parents have been letting off steam about the incident on a school Facebook page.

One wrote: “I think my son was one of the last in and there was nothing left but baked potato and egg salad (which he won’t eat) so because he was in the last lot they had to have toast and jam.

“I though he was joking because he came home starving.

“There clearly wasn’t enough food today but even still . . . know it’s not the school’s fault because the food is delivered in but it’s not fair on the kids who have a later lunch.”

Another parent said: “I realise it’s not the school’s fault but my daughter had half a baked potato with no filling and got offered toast and jam.

“The school is becoming a nightmare. I pay for lunches every day and do not expect my child/children to be offered toast and jam as lunch.”

Parents have also raised concerns about overcrowding issues at the school, following the closure of nearby Westburn Primary. They claim children are having to eat lunches in classrooms and corridors. However, the school denies this.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Labour’s education spokesman, said: “Kids need and deserve a healthy lunch. Obviously a mistake has been made here and I hope it is rectified and not allowed to happen again.”

A spokesman for the city council said: “Unfortunately 12 pupils had a limited choice on Thursday. The school have told the kitchen that they want more cheese filling for the baked potatoes and less egg mayo, which didn’t go down too well.”