26 August 2010

High school pupils may be kept in at lunchtimes
COUNCILLORS could be about to call time on secondary children in the Borders being allowed to leave their schools at lunchtime.

The move would serve a double purpose: to increase the uptake of school meals and reduce incidents of littering and anti-social behaviour by pupils.

At the monthly meeting of Scottish Borders Council last week, it was reported that a visit to St Margaret's Academy, a denominational secondary in Livingston, is being organised and that all 34-elected members will be welcome to attend.

In 2008, that school introduced a system of restricting its students from leaving school at lunchtime to increase the uptake of meals and healthy eating.

In the same year, a task force of SBC councillors and officials was set up to create an improved and sustainable school meal service following an alarming slump in uptake - and a 240,000 annual deficit to SBC's catering section.

In August last year, the task force made a raft of recommendations after hearing one of the main causes of the financial loss was the effect of the Scottish Government's initiative which requires that school meals comprise only healthy food.

"The result is that pupils have turned to replacement sources of unhealthy' foods, including packed lunches and the high street," explained head of estates management and task force member Andrew Drummond-Hunt. "High school uptake has declined at the rate of six per cent year on year and now stands at about 30 per cent of the school roll, while the primary uptake is about 35 per cent. This phenomenon has affected councils throughout the UK."

The task force asked SBC's executive to agree a series of measures, including the creation of more production kitchens in schools along with better promotion of healthy meals and taster-sessions for parents.

Reducing the incentive for pupils to use the high street, by including flexible lunch breaks to reduce crowding and make dining in school more pleasant, was also urged.

But a key recommendation was for the more proscriptive regime at St Margaret's to be investigated.

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