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The school has become the first independent school in Scotland to achieve the silver standard from the Soil Association’s Food For Life Served Here programme.

Caron Longden, development lead for Food For Life, said: “The relationship built between the headteacher and the caterer are particularly strong, and they work closely together to provide the best experience they can for pupils.

“Some vegetables are grown on site, all waste is composted, and work has been done to ensure the ingredients used in the service meet good animal welfare standards, including organic milk from a local dairy.”

Shona McGregor-Brown, catering manager at Edinburgh Academy Junior School, leads a team of eight who serve 550 meals a day to pupils from nursey age through to 11-year-olds.

Gavin Calder, headteacher at Edinburgh Academy Junior School, added: “In these enlightened times, it is really important that we know the quality and provenance of the food that our children are consuming.

“It is a testament to the time and efforts of catering manager Shona McGregor-Brown and her amazing team from independents by Sodexo that we are at the vanguard in terms of food quality in Scotland’s schools.”

Edinburgh Academy Junior School has introduced several initiatives, including a small group of pupils acting as a representative ‘voice’ for their peers as well as students discussing their likes and dislikes with head chef Karen Purves.

Amanda Vettese, account manager (Scotland), independents by Sodexo, commented: “The Academy is committed and aligned with Sodexo to ensure we promote an environment where pupils can thrive, and we support this through ensuring that pupils are provided healthy choices in the dining hall.”