Food and Nutrition at Caldicott

At Caldicott we aim to support the physical and emotional well-being of all our pupils with excellent food and nutrition. We commit to provide a wide choice of food that is appetising, well-balanced and nutritious, and which suits all requirements. We help the pupils to develop a broad knowledge and understanding of food in order to make responsible and appropriate choices.

Our Chef Manager is a highly-qualified professional who takes a proactive approach to catering for the school community. She is responsible for the quality of the goods delivered and she plans the menus on a three-weekly cycle with our consultants ISCC, using the Government’s School Food Standards as guidelines. The pupils also take some responsibility and play a part in termly Catering Committee meetings.

In order to meet the high standard required of our food and to provide the best value available, ingredients are purchased fresh from local suppliers and according to the season where possible. Our dry goods are delivered by reputable suppliers. We minimise the use of frozen ingredients and bought-in, ready prepared foods, choosing to cook from scratch as much as possible. We do not serve nuts and we limit sugar and salt intake. Drinking water is available at any time in key areas of the school and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables are available at meal and snack times.

We are proud of our 5 star hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency. This means that our food which is prepared on the premises and in a hygienic and safe manner. 

Sustainability initiatives are important to the ethos of Caldicott. We are conscious of our environmental responsibilities and we encourage our food suppliers to adopt environmentally sound practices too.

In 2017 we were awarded a Silver Food for Life Served Here award from the Soil Association in recognition of the fantastic catering provision at Caldicott, the first independent school in Buckinghamshire to gain this level of award.  More information can be found on the news story.

The school’s recommended minimum performance standards are as follows:

• The menu should allow for seasonal produce, particularly fruit and vegetables
• The menu should be up to date and modern
• The menu should be well-balanced nutritionally
• The menu should be well-planned and without repetition
• The menu should be suitable for the wide age range being served
• The food should be cooked from scratch whenever possible
• The food should look appetising
• The food should smell and taste good
• There should be evidence of batch cooking
• The food should be ready just before the beginning of service
• The food should be well laid-out at the servery and on the counters
• There should be sufficient food at all times
• The dishes served should be popular with the pupils
• The hot food should be served at a temperature of at least 63°c
• The cold food should be served at a temperature below 8°c
• The colour mix of food should be attractive
• The texture mix of the food should be well-balanced
• Seasoning should be used correctly
• Pupils with particular diets should be able to collect their food from the server

For any queries or to obtain a copy of our School Food Policy please contact the Chef Manager, Mrs Julie Ayling on 01753 649320 or [email protected]