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| | From:  ©Greylady® (Original Message) | Sent: 10/6/2004 12:43 PM |
Infant and First schools in the Norwich area are from tomorrow introducing the 5 fresh fruit and veg snacks that all children will now be able to benefit from - free of charge. The allowing children to eat fresh fruit and veg is nothing new here nor is providing them with bottled water they can drink throughout the day. Nikki has taken a fresh fruit or veg snack for mid-morning ever since she was in reception (she's now in year 3) but she has always had a choice. From tomorrow all the children will be offered a piece of fruit or veg as a mid morning snack (supplied via the school). I spoke to the school secretary this morning - our conversation : What choice do children have : answer - none . So what if they don't like what's on offer? answer - tough Can you tell me the sorts of things they will be offered - yes its banana tomorrow and pear on Friday, I don't know about next week though Ok Nik's not that keen on pears, can I pop something in her lunch box just in case she wont eat it? answer - no sorry, they have what's on offer. Surely, that's not fair, Nik is very good with her fruit and veg eating but there are some things she just doesn't like, for example oranges, can I not supply her with a small apple, grapes or banana or something, as I normally would? answer - you can supply fresh fruit or veg but it will remain in her lunchbox til lunchtime So you're telling me that she (or other children) will miss out on a snack if she/they dont like what's on offer that day then? answer - err....... I would say yes but I'll raise this with the Head, as I'm not sure. You do see my point though - Oh yes Mrs. M a very valid one (She went on) of course they may be days when children are off so fruit would be left over, so children would have a choice My reply : Hardly fresh then and what if you say have 10 banana's left over from yesterday but 15 children request bananas, what happens then? answer - As I said, I'd need to speak to the Head. I've left it with her, but I'd value anyone else's thoughts. Yes its great that a policy has now been introduced but I can see some issues here! Thanks Rosemary xx |
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| | | From: ßratz | Sent: 10/6/2004 1:54 PM |
They had this policy at one of our schools once, and Jake , ummm, he held his own private revolution, for 10 straight days they had apples, he hates apples and pears with a passion, so he pelted them against the school walls . But to be honest I couldn't get mad, that is more than 2 weeks of nothing from 8 am to 12, and then only a sandwich and milk. it didn't seem fair then, still doesn't now. As a parent you should get to choose what your child can eat. What about diabetic children and they have a fruit the child is allergic too? What about children who suffer from hypogycemia, or those with larning disabilities, where going a long period without food can cause behavioural problems? |
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They started this in Tam's school when she was in nursery - so 3 years ago now - and i guess in a way it works - if u discount the fact that during the first two years of getting fruit it wasnt a whole piece - just a slice/quarter whatever. She gets the choice of either a pear, apple or banana - so depending on where the children are in the queue depends on how much choice there actually is! And there's is also a if u dont like what we've got u go without attitude. She wont usually eat the fruit that's on offer - because as she says - it doesnt taste nice. I am sure they get the stuff the shops dont want - but thats just my opinion. So she gets fruit with her lunch to make sure that she is getting some - that way i know she gets exactly what she likes. |
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Just spotted that u mentioned they get water to drink throughout the school day - i wish they did that at tams school cos she is soooooo thirsty when she leaves at the end of the day. One carton of milk and a drink at dinner time isnt enough in my opinion - after all i drink a hell of a lot more than that in the same amount of time. Hmmmm may be taking a visit to the school to see if they can do this as well! |
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Moon, I thought the introduction of children drinking water on an as and when basis was national? The water drinking was brought in 2 or 3 or 4 years ago (can't remember exactly) as a way of keeping children alert and refreshed It followed a government or health guideline, I think; Mumsie probably knows more about this. I'm surprised that your daughter's school hasn't followed suite. You could ask about policies in other schools, ask other parents and then take it up with the Governing Body or Headteacher. |
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ours get free school milk in morning which in our school they have through to yr 2 with their snack water bottles at morning playtime lunch time and afternoon playtime and can also have some water during lessons our school is too giving out friut from tomorrow but unlike grey's school they can still take in their own snck if they wont eat the friut i have one who doesnt eat friut at all apart from raisins so i am hoping that when he sees the other children eating it he will but i think grey is right i can see some issues here in that it should still be up to a parent what there child eats and i dont believe that saying you have to eat that friut or go without will make them eat it |
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Right - firstly the water thing, is pretty much universal in schools around here now, although the logistics of it arent always that easy In my class the rule is if we are sitting on the carpet 'working' then no drinks, otherwise its ok, also we do give all the children a cup of water with their snack every morning, and usually after lunch, as they don't all bring water bottles. But I don't think there has been any particular county wide ruling about it. Ok now the fruit thing... For the last 2 years in Reception and Year1 we have asked parents for a contribution of 75p a week, and have then bought fruit to have at snack time. After a lot of experimentation in the early days, we have come down to a choice between apple, carrot and raisins. All of the children will eat some of one of these, and they arent too expensive and store resonably well. In my class the whole fruit thing is part of our daily routine. In the morning when we do the register, the children have a name card which they put up on either the raisin, apple or carrot board, and then we count them and put up the right number. When we come in after morning play the children go to the toilet and wash their hands and then sit down to have their fruit and a drink. Its not just the fruit issue, its a social time too, a time for reminders about please and thank yous and all of those kinds of things. Interestingly this week I bought a different variety of apples (just cos they were cheaper!) on Monday 12 children wanted apples..... on Tuesday only 3 - conclusion - they don't really like royal galas!! So what on earth will happen when we start with this free fruit scheme I really don't know I can see me ending up still buying in some carrots and raisins, just to offer them some choice |
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Well now I've read this I shall be having a word with my boss, Nina's headteacher, to find out what the policy will be. I do know that we are bringing this fruit thing in some time this year or early next, but I will not be happy if my child is given no choice or has to go without if she doesnt like the choice. At the moment she takes an apple/banana or grapes for her snack. I'm all for encouraging healthy snacks but not to the detriment of the childs right to have something they like or my choice to choose whats right for my child. We also have water in the classrooms in the form of a cooler and also have fountains outside. |
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| | | From: ghaens | Sent: 10/7/2004 5:37 PM |
It sounds to me like the beuraucracy has taken over Grey, at the expense of the health and welbeing of the children. Sounds to me like they need to take a step back and look at what is good for the children and not their schedule. In my girls school they have one lunch box which is provided by the parents. They get two chances to eat and can choose what they want to eat on first and second 'lunch'. I cannot fathom how a school could deny a child a right to go get their lunch box and take out their fruit of choice, if the fruit provided is not to their liking. My girls get free milk, or at least they used to but there seems to be a problem getting Aoife on 'a list' ... ffs... just give her the milk when I don't provide a drink.. I hate the fact that they get juice every day and last year I didn't give them any drink so that would make them take milk. One day last week I didn't give them a drink and Aoife went without for the entire day. |
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At my kids school, during the nursery and reception the kids have a fruit snack and either milk or water as a snack, the parents pay a contribution of 50p per week. My 2 are now in yrs 1 and 2 and they still have milk and are able to get a drink of water whenever they like. They also have a snack each morning, it's different every day and is usually either, apple, banana, orange, pear or carrot etc. They either have it or they don't it's the childs choice whether they eat it or not. I don't pay anything for their snacks now. It's part of the school routine now and the kids usually eat wat's on offer Julie x x |
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An update........................ Well, the new snack system started yesterday and yes Nikki (along with up to 249 others) had her banana but at 2.50pm I shall be in the office again this morning to ask why they had a mid-morning snack 15 minutes before the end of the school day! I did ask Nik, she said the cook lady told them they weren't delivered on time So what's the point in offering them fruit or vegetables if they're not being delivered in time for them to eat them .....ffs Now on to today.........we have pears today, Nikki doesn't like pears, (one of the few fruits she doesn't like!) I wait with baited breath to see if sh'e offered something else but just in case I'll pop her some grapes or a banana extra in her lunchbox, be a rebel and tell her to break the rules no I wont ,lol I'll tell the school secretary what I've done and hope they'll allow her to eat what I've provided, as I don't want her to miss out if the school doesn't provide an alternative! And this is the school that I spent 4 years as a parent governor and 18months as Chair of Governors - you know what it is, this is some form of payback!!! I'll let you know whether I declare war or not - but I'm not going to let this go  |
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