School Meals
School meals are provided by Accent Catering, who are specialists in educational catering.
Meals are served to Upper School children in our purpose-built, airy and spacious refectory. Lower School children eat at dining tables in the Lower School hall, with meals served from professional hot trolleys. Each meal is a happy, sociable occasion! Teachers and other school staff eat with the children, from the same menu, so that a shared dining experience is enjoyed by all.
The food service at St. Helen’s College reflects the high standards of education provided by the school and is an integrated part of the whole school experience. Our Chef Manager Soula and her team are friendly and approachable. They work hard to develop relationships with pupils and parents through face-to-face meetings, seeking parent and pupil feedback, which they then use to improve the food service on an ongoing basis.
By taking a positive approach to promoting healthy eating and nutrition, Accent make sure that school meals are as good for pupils as they are delicious. Menus use a combination of seasonal, healthy, fresh ingredients to produce creative dishes that pupils want to eat.
Daily menus include a home cooked meat dish and vegetarian option with sides and vegetables, a daily jacket potato option and a wide variety of dishes and seasonings at the salad bar with its ‘flavourzone’, followed by a choice of homemade hot and cold desserts and fresh fruit. Fresh, crusty bread, butter, cheese, ham and tuna are also available daily.
All food is fresh and where possible cooked from scratch. Dishes are made with the freshest ingredients, sourced locally wherever possible. Only free range eggs are used.
All of the menus have been developed and expanded in conjunction with the school and the standards set by the Schools Food Trust. Menus are produced to the highest standards and adhere to all government guidelines, including allergen labelling. This ensures that every child receives a well-balanced meal which is served by friendly, well trained staff. Accent staff work closely with school staff to get to know each pupil and to make sure that all children choose and eat a balanced meal each day.
Children with allergies are specially catered for; Accent staff are always happy to meet with parents of children with allergies to discuss individual needs. All allergens are clearly labelled both at the point of service and on menus, which are published in advance so that parents may discuss choices with their children. Alternative, allergen-free dishes are always available.
During term time, a healthy, enjoyable breakfast is provided for the children who attend our Breakfast Club and tea is provided for those children who attend Funtasia, our after school club. Breakfasts typically consist of cereal, fruit and toast with toppings; the tea menu includes sandwiches, pasta, pizza slices and other finger food. Fresh fruit and/or vegetables are included with all meals.
For more details and some tasty recipes to try at home, do visit the Accent Catering website.
Visit Accent Catering
The current school menus are published on the School Documents page of this website.
