Croydon’s Food Flagship Programme

Growing food, learning to cook healthier food, and understanding the importance of a balanced, nutritious diet in preventing obesity are the principal aims of Croydon becoming a Food Flagship Borough.

Food Flagship Schools

Download our infographic (PDF, 336KB) to see what we achieved with our Food Flagship partnership work in schools.

Children outside an edible garden

Food Flagship Schools

The borough's four new Food Flagship schools have started their journey of encouraging and supporting the school community to lead a healthy lifestyle. 

The following Flagship schools have each developed a two-year plan:

  • Forestdale Primary School
  • St. Mary's Catholic Primary Trust
  • Bensham Manor
  • Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College for Girls

They join the three existing Flagship Schools:

  • Rockmount
  • Fairchildes
  • Meridian High.

They will take a whole school approach to healthy eating and food education and will work towards moving children and adults away from sweet and fizzy drinks, and foods high in fat, salt and sugar.

The Flagship schools are helping to entice pupils back to school dining halls and increase the uptake of school meals by offering more nutritious menus and improving the overall dining experience.

Croydon’s school food plan

The Croydon School Food Plan supported head teachers, caterers, staff, pupils and parents/guardians to improve school food provision and food education during the Food Flagship programme of work.

The plan is still used and it is helping schools work towards meeting and exceeding the best practice recommendations of the National School Food Plan.

For more information, read the full school food plan (PDF, 189KB).

School playgrounds go edible

Pupils at four Croydon schools are happily munching on the fresh produce they cultivated in their playgrounds thanks to funding from the charity Trees for Cities. Vibrant outdoor spaces that teach children about growing fruit and vegetables were built in 2016 under the Edible Playgrounds banner in Rockmount Primary, Fairchildes Primary and Meridian High – which are all he borough’s food flagship schools – as well as St Giles’ School. Find out more information.

For more information about the Food Flagship work in schools, please contact Zoe Barkhammanlow at zoe.barkhammanlow@croydon.gov.uk.

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