Pupils, parents and carers sometimes have questions about this. This information is designed to answer some of these questions.
Q1. Why can pupils not eat takeaways in the Academy Café?
A1. The Academy Café is a licenced food premises. This means that it sells food to customers as part of a contract with the local authority. The company who deliver this for the school have the rights over this area. Just like you can't take food from one restaurant and eat it in another, you can't take food from takeaway outlets into the Academy Café. The only exception to this is packed lunches, which are allowed.
A2. The Academy Café only sells food which meets the government's standards for healthy eating. As part of our efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of every pupil, we encourage pupils only to eat food which has been bought in the Academy Café, healthy foods from home, or healthy foods bought and consumed from other outlets.
Please visit the BBC Good Food (opens new window) website More information on the effects of diet on Health and Wellbeing, and learning.
Q2. Why isn't fizzy juice allowed in school?
A1. Fizzy juice isn't allowed in class for health and safety reasons. Spillage of sugar and chemicals onto surfaces can damage equipment and the fabric of the building. For that reason, water is allowed in class for hydration purposes only.
A2. There is lots of evidence to suggest that fizzy juice prevents good learning. The sugar content creates highs and lows, can cause hyperactivity, or make it difficult to concentrate. None of these helps pupils to learn. The other ingredients are also known to reduce concentration levels, cause hyperactivity, increase the risk of disruptive behaviour, this is all in addition to the other negative effects they can have on health.
Q3. Why isn't energy juice allowed in school?
A1. Energy juice isn't allowed in class for all the same health and safety reasons that fizzy juice isn't allowed.
A2. There is lots of evidence to suggest that energy juice prevents good learning. The sugar content creates highs and lows, can cause hyperactivity, or make it difficult to concentrate. None of these helps pupils to learn. Energy drinks also contain other ingredients, some of which are stimulants. Despite what the word 'stimulant' may lead you to believe, these are known to reduce concentration levels, cause hyperactivity, and are linked to poor behaviour in class. There is lots of evidence to suggest that drinking water to hydrate is better for concentration and learning.
Links to some information on the effects of energy drinks on learning:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/35116130 (opens new window)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/education-25805750/should-schools-ban-energy-drinks (opens new window)
