Advice on Snacks

Guidance on mid-morning snacks

We are sure you will agree that Haresfield already promotes positive attitudes towards healthy eating and exercise. However with our ‘Healthy Schools Award’ renewed and campaigns such as ‘Change for Life’ becoming increasingly popular, we are keen to make our school and the children even healthier.

Following Healthy Schools guidance we have decided that children may only have fresh fruit/vegetables for morning snack and not cheese or biscuits anymore. This is not only a healthier option but it will also help to reduce waste collected within school. Fruit and vegetables are supplied daily free of charge for children in KS1 and there is usually plenty for KS2. We are sent a range of fruit including apples, carrots, oranges, bananas, dried fruit, and strawberries. You may send your child in with fruit or vegetables from home but we ask that you try to avoid packaging or waste. All classes have a compost collection bin. Water is accessible within the classroom and at lunchtimes for children to help themselves.

In addition to this we encourage you try to make healthy decisions regarding your child’s lunchbox. If you look below we have made links to external websites that contain guidance and support on what makes a healthy lunchbox. The school cookbook has lots of good ideas as well. We all are tempted to pack a treat but please remember this is what the children eat first and try to resist.
Websites offering guidance for a healthy life:

http://www.ecofriendlykids.co.uk/
http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/Default.aspx
http://home.healthyschools.gov.uk/
http://www.tesco.com/health/food/healthy_kids/lunchbox_tool.page

The criteria for national Healthy School status

To become a Healthy School, you need to evidence how you have met criteria in the following four core themes that make up national Healthy School status. Across the four core themes, there will need to be evidence of how the whole school approach has been used in the process. Schools must demonstrate they have met the criteria in each of the following:

1. Personal, social and health education, including sex and relationship education and drug education (including alcohol, tobacco and volatile substance abuse)

PSHE provides pupils with the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes to make informed decisions about their lives.

2. Healthy eating

Pupils have the confidence, skills and understanding to make healthy food choices. Healthy and nutritious food and drink is available across the school day.

3. Physical activity

Pupils are provided with a range of opportunities to be physically active. They understand how physical activity can help them to be more healthy, and how physical activity can improve and be a part of their everyday life.

4. Emotional health and wellbeing

Promoting positive emotional health and wellbeing to help pupils understand and express their feelings, and build their confidence.