Ofsted checks

[Sassy]

Here's one for the parents out there in Carer's UK world. I'm asking about plans to cease checking of our children's packed lunchboxes by ofsted. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, here's a link http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10391544

Do you think that Ofsted should continue to check the contents of our children's lunchboxes?

Should our children be penalised as a result of what Ofsted may or may not find in their lunch box?

Are the thresholds for free school meals set about right?

Could schools to more to get us, as parents , to make our children eat more healthily?

What would you do as a head teacher to try to get your pupils to eat healthy foods?

[MaryB]

I do not think OFSTED should be checking lunch boxes, what they should be doing is making sure that all special schools are up to scratch on education and not give outstanding reports on glorified child minding centre's who happen to call themselves a school.
I was invited to an OFSTED focus meeting in London a year or so ago, and all the promises I am still waiting to see fullfilled
As for the head teachers once I had ensured that all children are receiving a relevent and adequate education I would consider sending home leaflets for all parents regarding nutrition.
Vicky

[g.herschel]

why dont we scrap all child benefit , replace it with free school meals and transport for all children ,

[MaryB]

OFSTED don't have anything to do with child benefit George, many children have free school meals, they are still entitled to child benefit and most special school children go to school on free transport so I don't think your idea would go down too well. With my own children the oldest takes a much healthier packed lunch than the school provide and youngest son has a special diet some of which I provide, the rest the school provide if it is suitable.
Vicky

[NanaNana]

What do OFSTED have to do with what parents may/may not choose to include in their children's lunchboxes?
Next thing, they'll be knocking on everyone's door after school, checking up on what's being served at the childrens' tea tables ...................................................................

They could have healthy lunchboxes and then a plateful of fried cr*p for tea. Or have a lunchbox full of bags of crisps and chocolate and then a healthy tea.

What does it have to do with OFSTED? Grrrrrrr

[Sassy]

On the one hand, I think it's a good idea, but the inspections are so few and far apart that it's impossible for Ofsted to get an accurate picture on who has been packed a treat today and who are the persistant junk fooders. If they were going to try running this scheme then schools must also do their share of monitoring.

There shouldn't have been any penalties on children as a result of what was or wasn't found in their lunchbox. After all, it's very seldom that a child gets access to the family shopping budget and thus the ability to choose the food they'd like to eat in their packed lunch.

I feel that no matter how the free school meals are set, there will always be some who struggle because they are just above the threshold limits.

As far as schools getting parents to get their children to eat more healthily, I know schools send out "banned foods" letters but I have yet to see or hear of schools sending out ideas on healthy lunchboxes. I mean some parents could be stuck for ideas or just generally unaware of how to make a balanced lunch in sandwiches.

As headteacher, I'd put more education into the curriculum about the importance of excercise and eating healthily (I don't recall having any of this sort of education until I hit secondry school) so the children can take this home and tell their parents about it.

[charles47]

I'm sorry, but I really get annoyed with this sort of thing. How about autistic kids who have such a restricted diet it's better to give them something to eat than nothing?

Whilst I accept that kids should have a healthy diet it's up to parents to deal with that, not schools and certainly not Ofsted. Schools can teach, but surely they should draw the line at banning foods!

Or are they going to ban books that are not on an "approved" list?

And then what?

[Sassy]

I know, Charles, I couldn't believe my ears when it said in the report that schools had been sending letters home banning foods that they deem to be "bad for out children". I don't care who you are, you need some foods off the good list and others off the "bad" list to be healthy - the trick is getting that balance right so our children get a good mix of these foods.

Banning foods outright will just create problems as children get older and can get out of school for lunch breaks since they could just nip to the shop for the foods that are deemed unhealthy. Sure, they might get locked out for lunch but if they have a packed lunch, that's not a problem.

I know when I was at school, I often missed out on my school meal because of issues with bullying. It didn't really faze me because I simply went to the tuck shop and loaded up on junk foods because there simply wasn't anything there that could be deemed as healthy (It was all sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks)

[Daisy]

I sometimes help out at school lunch times. Some of our children are given truly awful food. One young lad brings in a cold burger or mouldy sandwiches most days. We cobble together something from the school kitchen for him. We have spoken to his Mum but the poor little lad obviously gets into trouble because of it.