Parson Street School Targeted Case Story
Date: June 2015
Targeted intervention to increase the number of children who include and eat fruit and veg as part of a healthy packed
lunch and also packed lunch children who report they eat a minimum of at least one portion fruit and veg at home.
School Background
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Parson Street Primary School is a much larger than average primary school having 480 pupils.
Our deprivation indicator places us among the 20% most deprived schools in the country. Data shows that we are in the bottom 15% for
issues such as living environment and crime. Our community has a low proportion of adults in higher education and higher social class
households (bottom 1% for large parts of our catchment). Unemployment is rising and we have a significant number of 'families under
stress’. Engagement of families in learning is a constant challenge but we are really succeeding here. In 2004 Parson Street was
performing in the bottom 5% of schools nationally. We are never complacent and always want to achieve better for our children,
whatever the challenges – attainment / progress percentile rankings currently place us near the top 40% of schools.
The school draws many of its pupils from outside its immediate Super Output Area. Many of these areas are significantly more deprived
than our immediate area.
The school is in a predominantly white area (97.4% - 6% above UK) and 10% more than average (24%) state themselves as having no
religion. This presents us with challenges in addressing spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues. The percentage of pupils from
minority ethnic groups has risen significantly (26%, up 15% since 2006). There has been a rise in the percentage of pupils for whom
English is not believed to be their first language (13.5%, more than doubled since 2006).
Using the new measure we have 37% of pupils who are entitled to Free School Meals.
The percentage of children with special educational needs is above average.
Our provision and outcomes for pupils' development and well-being are very high - this in the context of a community where less than
65% of people are in 'good health'.
What needs were identified, and how?
The school looked at the health data pack and wanted to work to achieve long-term healthy weight highlighting the need for nutritional and
activity based interventions. Also in school observations were undertaken and this lead to the realisation that works undertaken for Healthy
Schools Plus had halted in school. The work had previously seen huge positive changes in behaviour and the aim was to embed in school. Due
to the implementation of Universal Free School Meals this work decreased. The school noting health data and school observations wanted to
re-introduce this work and ensure long term commitment in school. The aim being to improve the nutritional value of packed lunches and to
encourage children to include fruit and veg daily and to eat as part of packed lunches. The school is also committed to reducing confectionary
and sugary drinks on site
What outcomes did we focus on?
Our outcomes were to:
Increase the numbers of children and young people who bought in packed lunches and who reported they ate a minimum of one portion of fruit
and veg per day at home.
Increase the numbers of children and young people bringing in a packed lunch that contained fruit and veg which they ate as part of lunch.
What activities / interventions did we put into place?
The Food Crew consulted the whole school and got lots of ideas on how to encourage more fruit and veg inside the packed lunch boxes. They
increased their monitoring of lunch boxes at lunchtime and rewarded the children who had made healthy choices with little healthy eating cards
and stickers.
They announced which class had the most fruit or veg in their lunchboxes from the surveys and led assemblies that explained what made a
healthy lunch box and ideas for healthy options. Posters go up in the dining hall to promote the fruit or vegetable of the month. They would
mention this in assembly and children would show them when they might have brought it in as part of their packed lunch. They put recipe ideas
on the website and examples of fruit and vegetables that children might like to try. On-going communication from pupils via newsletter and web
kept everyone up to date with progress and gave all a voice etc. and capture ideas. Strong links with the work the Gardening Club and the
Allotment Crew to grow and taste a variety of vegetables.
The PTA organised a fund raising recipe book that was shown to the children in assembly and discussed as part of healthy eating links at
home.
The School Food Policy was re launched in January 2015 and linked to school food plan recommendations re sugary drinks, crisps and
confectionery not being seen on school site during the school day.
What did we achieve and how did we know?
Data of children eating fruit and veg as part of a packed lunch increased from 52% to 64% this was an increase of 12 %.
Data of children reporting they ate at least one portion fruit and veg per day at home increased from 63% to 79 % this is an increase of 16%.
Pupil Voice
A teacher says: The children love the little cards that the Food Crew give out at lunchtime. They show ne the fruit they have in their lunchboxes
and are so happy to show how healthy they are.
The Head teacher says: the Food Crew have been great at getting the message across about Healthy eating. They love to reward the children
who have made good choices in their packed lunch and this is having a real impact on the changes in foods being brought in as part of their
packed lunches.
A child / children in Year One say: I usually have at least one piece of fruit in my lunch box sometimes two. My mum now says we have to try
and have 7 a day. I have at least 2 vegetables with my dinner at home sometimes more.
A Governor says: ‘This school has done so much to promote pupil well-being in so many ways. It is not just about academic results– it is so
much more. The whole child is really important that is why I love to see the work the children do to encourage a green and healthy way of
living.’
Parents say: ‘My child is always coming home and asking if he can put in more fruit in his packed lunch. Its great.’
Our future plans.
Continue the promotion of healthy fruit/veg options in their packed lunch boxes.
Work with Eden on providing fruit baskets for the staff.
Fruit Taster sessions more regularly especially now that Eden are running the Tuck Shop and we need to sustain the promotion of buying fruit
and not just the bread based snacks.