Jamie's School Dinners
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| Jamie's School Dinners | |
|---|---|
Documentary | |
| Directed by | Guy Gilbert |
| Creative director | Jamie Oliver |
| Presented by | Jamie Oliver |
| Starring | Jamie Oliver |
| Narrated by | Timothy Spall |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 4 |
| Production | |
| Production location | Jamie's Kitchen |
| Running time | 48 minutes |
| Production company | Fresh One Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | Channel 4 |
| Release | 1 February – 22 February 2005 |
Jamie's School Dinners is a four-episode
Kidbrooke School
At
Despite frequent clashes over matters ranging from kitchen technique to workload, Nora eventually became Jamie's most ardent supporter throughout the series and the campaign. Oliver had his work cut out for him: firstly, the daily budget for school dinners was a mere 37
Boot camp
After a disastrous start at Kidbrooke, with students refusing to eat and dinner ladies threatening to resign due to overwork, Oliver organised a "
County Durham
Statistically, the English county of Durham had the highest rate of health problems among school children in the country. During a visit to a primary school in Peterlee, Oliver realised that part of the challenge in promoting healthier eating habits among children was influenced by the food they were consuming at home. He visited a young boy's family and convinced them to try a healthier home-cooked menu for a week.[citation needed]
Return to London
Returning to Greenwich, Oliver faced a student
Results of the show and campaign
The
Jamie's Return to School Dinners
 |
Starting in February 2006, Oliver returned to his crusade to see how his flagship Greenwich school, Kidbrooke, was progressing. Overworked and under pressure, Nora reveals that she is losing money due to the decision to close the school tuck shop (which sold junk food and snacks), that she wasn't being paid for the extra hours, and that she hadn't seen any of the promised money. The end-of-year deficit is between £12000 and £15000 (the school management declined to be precise, on the advice of the local council), the children are slipping back into their old habits, and Jamie's new menu is losing popularity.
In response, Jamie organises a 'Junk Amnesty' wherein the children exchange their snacks and unhealthy food for tokens which can then be redeemed for healthier meals at a kiosk Jamie sets up in their playground.
Jamie then travels to Lincolnshire and Dorset, where most of the schools have decommissioned their kitchens to save money. He pioneers a project that connects the schools to local pubs, restaurants, and hotels, and to local farmers. Produce would be sourced locally, cooked, and then taken to nearby schools by taxi or volunteer drivers. In order to make the project viable, he has to convince 90% of the local parents to participate.
A pilot scheme is started to provide
Initial take-up is good, following a demonstration to parents of a terms'-worth of junk food that their children eat (a plastic mat with a pile of chips (2 binfuls), saturated fat, Coke, burgers, with a garnish of crisps and sweets), and a brief speech at the school's Easter service.
To spread the word, Jamie organises a fête for local schools, suppliers and caterers in Lincoln Castle. There he encourages connections between parents, schools, and food industry representatives. The event ('Hot Dinners For Imps') is a resounding and overwhelming success, and garners support from the local council.
Results
In London, meeting first with
Effect on exam results
In 2009, a report was released that after the implementation of Jamie's School Dinners program test scores in English and science improved.
Criticism
David Laws said the government rushed into the legislation too quickly, and would be unable to meet its target requirement of participation.[5]
See also
- Healthy Kids School Canteen Association
References
- ^ Richard Garner (31 August 2009). "Jamie's school dinners for all". The Independent. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ a b "TV chef welcomes £280m meals plan". BBC News. 30 March 2005. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ a b c Rachel Williams (29 March 2010). "Jamie Oliver's school dinners shown to have improved academic results". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ Urmee Khan (1 February 2009). "Jamie Oliver's school dinners improve exam results, report finds". The Telegraph. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
- ^ Jessica Shepherd (9 July 2009). "Schoolchildren shun healthy school meals". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 February 2017.