Save our pork pies!

Parents’ fury as school bans ‘unhealthy’ lunchboxes

A SCHOOL has banned sausage rolls and pork pies from pupils’ lunchboxes.

The rule was imposed to promote healthy eating, but it has faced a backlash from parents.

Shirley Manor Primary Academy, in Wyke, near Bradford, introduced its ‘Whole School Food and Drink Policy’ earlier this month.

One parent said the ban led to a sausage roll being taken from his son’s packed lunch, while another claimed children were ‘not eating properly’ as a result.

The policy, led by Government guidelines, says pupils – especially those aged four to seven – are encouraged to show their packed lunches to staff before and after eating. It states: ‘Pork pies, sausage rolls [and] pepperoni sticks are high in salt and saturated fat. These items should not be included in a pupil’s packed lunchbox. If found, a parent will be called. Desserts, cakes, biscuits and crisps … if a pupil has more than one of these items in their lunchbox they will be removed by staff and returned to the child at the end of the day.’

Squash, fizzy drinks and flavoured water, even if ‘sugar-free’ or ‘no added sugar’, are banned.

Wendy Barraclough, 30, said the changes meant her son goes hungry. She said teachers confiscated biscuits, as well as crisps and a chocolate bar ‘which meant he only had a few chicken balls and a sandwich for lunch’.

‘The teachers are opening children’s water bottles and sniffing them to make sure it’s water and not flavoured water,’ she claimed. ‘This is making kids dehydrated and poorly because they’re not eating properly.’

Steve Fryer, whose son fell victim to the sausage roll ruling – and was offered a healthy alternative – said the ban was ‘ridiculous’.

Kirsty Mcdougall, 29, said: ‘My child had a wafer biscuit taken off her yesterday and was not offered a replacement…How dare they stand and check each individual lunchbox … She [the head] has taken things too far.’

Head Heather Lacey said: ‘We want to ensure our children eat well…We have written to parents to let them know how we want to work together to ensure their children eat a balanced meal.’