Anger as Oxfordshire school bans packed lunches and offers kids Halal meat, water and salad

A SCHOOL has been accused of being “like a dictatorship” for serving pupils halal meat, water and salad after packed lunches were banned.

Aureus School in Didcot, Oxford, has sparked fury among parents for its strict stance on its food policy.

Aureus School in Oxford, where packed lunches have been banned

But executive headteacher Hannah Wilson maintains she’s merely encouraging kids to eat healthy food amid concerns about obesity.

She said pupils and staff dine together in the canteen, making lunchtimes a "social" affair.

The teacher told the Oxford Mail : "Food education closes the poverty gap and delicious, nutritious should be a universal entitlement.

"With all of the headlines about food banks and obesity, we are preparing our students for healthy lifestyles in the future."

Headteacher Hannah Wilson says she's encouraging pupils to eat 'healthy food'

Students and staff get to choose from eating a hot halal meat meal, hot gluten-free vegetarian meal, a jacket potato, a salad, a pasta pot or a baguette.

And the school insists that only water may be drunk on site because “hydrated brains learn better”.

But a father, who asked not to be named, said the rules were “draconian”.

He said: "We are thinking of taking her out of the school - it's getting silly and more like a dictatorship. Their views are quite extreme.

"It's about choice. It's supposed to be an inclusive school but they are only catering for one particular religion."

The dad added that he had tried to get the policies changed since September but had been unsuccessful.

The school's frequently-asked questions addresses the food policies and states: "What we eat is a key influencer on our performance.

"When we eat well, we sleep well, when we sleep well, we perform well.

"We strive at Aureus to create good habits that will become lifelong routines.

"Sitting down to eat together once a day is an important part of our school culture and ethos.

"All staff sit and eat, but also bond and talk, with our students. These relationships are key in nurturing our school community.

"By ensuring that all students have access to a daily nutritious home-cooked family meal we ensure that all have this equality of opportunity."

Reiterating the Halal kitchen policy, the document states this is to “celebrate the diversity of our country’s culture”.

In 2013 a Government-backed report compiled by the founders of restaurant chain Leon encouraged more headteachers to consider banning packed lunches.

It stated: "We were approached by many free schools who wanted advice on setting up a first-class food service.

"Among other things, we always advised them to ban packed lunches from the start."

The report noted the rising obesity rates with children and added: "Many parents mistakenly imagine that a packed lunch is the healthiest option.

"In fact, it is far easier to get the necessary nutrients into a cooked meal – even one of mediocre quality.

"Only one per cent of packed lunches meet the nutritional standards that currently apply to school food."

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