Food for Life Partnership

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St Andrew's CE Primary School

Primary

This school is achieving GOLD

GOLD schools are hubs of good food culture in their community, actively involving parents and community groups in cooking and growing activity. School meals are at least 75% unprocessed, 50% local and 30% organic, and more than 70% of pupils are choosing to eat school meals. Every pupil learns to cook and has the opportunity to grow food, and groups of pupils are actively involved in the life of a local farm.

Our Mission

St. Andrew's is delighted to be a part of the Food for Life Partnership. The school is situated on the outskirts of Shifnal, a small market town in south-east Shropshire. We are very lucky that Mark Lea, a local organic farmer and parent at the school has helped us with our beliefs in creating a whole school experience around healthy living and eating healthily. The school is linked to his farm, Green Acres, which is only two miles away in the village of Kemberton. With Marks' help children have created a thriving growing area which has resulted, this year, in children growing enough vegetables for all the school to enjoy at lunchtimes. There is nothing better than eating beans, potatoes, onions and rhubarb - amongst others - that you have grown yourself!

The school is also very lucky to have made several farm visits and our latest plan is to take one class down to the farm six times a year to see what changes happen on a working farm trhoughout the seasons. The children really enjoy doing their maths, literacy, science and topic work through real life experiences on the farm.

Our future plans include extending the growing area, planting an orchard, improving our lunchtime experience with better tables and no "flight trays" and linking all of the work to a healthy exercise regime. Lots to do!