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Thursday, July 10, 2008, 16:33
Figures just released show that the number of primary pupils in England eating school dinners has risen for the first time since the Clavering boy put the issue of healthy meals on the nation's agenda with his series Jamie's School Dinners in 2005.
Take up of school dinners rose by 2.3 per cent to 43.6 per cent for primary pupils in the year to this April after a one per cent fall in the previous 12 months.
But secondary school pupils continue to turn away from school meals, with a 0.5 per cent fall, although the decline was less steep than the previous year's five per cent drop.
The survey was carried out by caterers and the School Food Trust, which was set up in 2005 to promote healthier school meals.
Following Jamie's campaign, new guidelines on healthy eating in schools were introduced by the Government in September 2006.
From this September, definitive food and nutrient-based lunch standards will be introduced into primary schools with secondary schools following a year later.
In response to the survey, Jamie Oliver said he was "massively encouraged" by the figures.
"I always said this would take 10 years to really see results but it looks like the corner has been turned, certainly in primary schools, in just three years and that's a fantastic achievement," he said.
"A new generation of primary school children are now getting proper meals at school and as they move up the school system, we should start to see this having an impact on food choices in secondary schools."
He praised the work of the School Food Trust and also dinner ladies, parents, teachers, head teachers and councilors "who passionately believe that we can't go back to the days of feeding our school kids reheated food that was lacking in nutritional value".
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Jamie's School Dinners campaign appears to be yielding results
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