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Crondall Primary, a Food for Life Partnership school in Hampshire, has scooped the School Catering Award at the prestigious Education Business Award ceremony.

On presenting the award to headteacher Megan Robinson,  Moira Stewart OBE said: “I think our future is in safe hands.”

Sponsored by the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA), the award recognises schools that are committed to supplying healthy school meals and value for money for pupils.

Megan Robinson said: “We’re delighted to receive this award. We believe that teaching children about healthy food and where it comes from is hugely important in the face of rising obesity levels.

“This Catering Award, along with our Food for Life Partnership Gold award, means that we can be confident that our children will make informed food choices for years to come.”

A Food for Life Partnership flagship school, Crondall Primary was awarded Gold in December last year for its commitment to transforming its school food culture.

To achieve the Food for Life Partnership Gold award, Crondall had to prove it was a hub for good food culture in the local community.

Added Robinson: “Parents and community groups are actively involved with cooking and growing activities within the school. School meals are at least 75% freshly prepared, 50% local and 30% organic, and more than 70% of pupils choose to eat them.

“Every pupil learns to cook and has the opportunity to grow food, and groups of pupils are actively involved in the life of a local farm.”

Crondall Primary also has an organic kitchen garden that was designed by parents and built using funds from the National Lottery’s ‘local food’ grant.

The garden is maintained by the children, parents, members of the communities and is visited by other school groups in the area. The organic fruit and vegetables grown in the garden are used in the school meals and cooking club.