Healthy School
The 10+ strong catering team, led by Thomas Franks, aim to deliver an outstanding quality of food. We monitor national nutritional targets and incorporate them in our menu planning.
The lunchtime menu is varied and nutritionally balanced to promote healthy eating habits for the future. The younger children are encouraged to choose a meal which they are confident they will enjoy. A copy of the current school menu can be viewed so that you can discuss with your child what they might choose to have each day.
School uses local suppliers wherever possible to source fresh ingredients, which are cooked on the premises daily. We recognise the role we have in enhancing pastoral care, ensuring that children obtain nutritious, healthy & balanced meals to fuel their bodies and minds.
Healthy Snacks
Downsend is a nut aware school. Some pupils at Downsend have life threatening allergies to foods, especially nuts and peanuts. We ask parents and pupils to refrain from sending or bringing in snacks which contain nuts of any sort, in order to avoid any accidents.
Please see below our list of recommended snacks:
| Food | Recommended Choice | Fair Choice (occasionally) |
|---|---|---|
| Breads: | Sandwiches with savoury fillings, pitta pockets, bread sticks, pizza slices – especially wholemeal, multigrain, high-fibre white and granary breads | |
| Drinks: | Milk Water | Low-fat milk shakes Yoghurt drinks Pure fruit juices (preferably diluted) Fruit juice drinks Fruit smoothies Individual cans of fruit in natural juice |
| Fruit: | Fresh fruit Raw vegetables | |
| Bakery items: | Crispbreads, crackers, rice cakes, oat cakes, crumpets, pikelets and scones, fruit loaf, tea cakes, currant buns | Wholemeal cakes and plain wholemeal biscuits, plain biscuits, flapjacks, fruit cake |
| Dairy Products: | Natural yoghurt with added fruit low-fat/diet yoghurts Diet fromage frais Reduced-fat cheese portions | Full-fat yoghurts Ordinary low-fat yoghurts Cheese portions |
| Confectionery: | Cereal bars—nut free Muesli bars—nut free | |
| Savoury Snacks: | Plain popcorn | Carob/yoghurt covered raisins |
School Nurse
A fully qualified School Nurse is available from 9.00am to 4.00pm at the main school site each school day. The Nurse deals with all medical issues as they arise on site, contacting parents if a child is too unwell to remain at school. She also oversees the dispensing of any medication brought to school, and is available at any time to discuss any health concerns with parents.
The following medical forms are available to download here.
Prep School Pupil Health Record Form
Medical Record Update Form
Request for School to Administer Medication
