At Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School, we believe that developing healthy habits and a positive relationship with food starts from the very earliest age. Over the past two years, we have been proud to take part in an exciting school food transformation initiative, working alongside School Food Matters and our NOURISH link advisor, Maddie.

This has been about much more than just healthy eating. It has been an opportunity to rethink our whole-school approach to food, making sure our children have a voice, enjoy positive food experiences and develop the knowledge and confidence to make healthy choices that will support them throughout their lives.

Putting our children at the heart of food!

A really important part of our journey has been making sure that our pupils are involved in shaping their own food experiences. After all, who better to tell us what children enjoy than the children themselves?

We have been working with our catering team to transform our school meals, actively listening to pupil feedback and giving children opportunities to taste and comment on new dishes. Our pupils have even helped us trial some exciting new options for our updated school menu!

We are incredibly proud that our children's opinions are helping to shape the food we serve in school.

Learning, exploring and enjoying food together

Food education has continued to be an important part of our curriculum, giving children opportunities to learn about food choices, nutrition and where food comes from, as well as developing practical skills by creating and preparing their own dishes.

Some of the highlights of our two-year journey include:

• Cooking together: Children have enjoyed special cooking sessions alongside their parents and carers, creating opportunities to learn, prepare food and share experiences together.
• Food sensory workshops: Our children have taken part in sensory experiences, exploring food through different tastes, textures, smells and appearances.
• Tasting new foods: Our breakfast and after-school club children have enjoyed taster pots and food tasting sessions, encouraging curiosity and giving them opportunities to discover new flavours.
• Curriculum learning: Children continue to explore food choices through their everyday learning, developing an understanding of healthy eating and the importance of a balanced diet.
• School engagement sessions: We have welcomed Maddie, our NOURISH link advisor, into school to support and develop our food transformation journey.

Working together to make lasting changes

Transforming school food takes a whole-school commitment, and we have been working together to make sure that positive changes are embedded throughout Kingmoor.

Our catering team, senior leadership team and governors have all taken part in food standards training, focusing on the forthcoming changes to school food standards, which are due to be implemented by September 2027.

We have also developed a brand-new School Food Policy, helping to set out our shared vision and commitment to providing positive food experiences and supporting healthy choices across our school community.

This work ensures that our approach to food is not just something that happens in the classroom or at lunchtime, but something that is valued and supported throughout our school.

Looking ahead – growing healthy futures

As we reflect on the past two years, we are incredibly proud of how far we have come. From cooking alongside families and exploring new tastes to giving children a real say in their school meals, we have taken important steps towards creating a positive and inclusive food culture.

Most importantly, we want our children to enjoy food, feel confident exploring new experiences and understand how the choices they make can support their health and wellbeing.

At Kingmoor Nursery and Infant School, we know that little experiences can make a big difference. By working together with our children, families, staff, governors and catering team, we are helping to build healthy habits that will last a lifetime.