Engagement & Wellbeing

Clarifying Eating Times

Throughout the school day, students have several dedicated eating times. These are:

• 10am: Brain break (small, easy to eat fruit)
• 11am - 11.05am: Supervised recess eating
• 1pm - 1.10pm: Supervised lunch eating
• Water is encouraged as the main drink for thirst throughout the day and students may have a water bottle accessible in the classroom. 

Usually classes eat at these times however there are occasions where it may vary by a few minutes either side depending on the learning happening in the classroom and the natural conclusion of the lesson. Our morning announcements are broadcast each day at 11am and most classes will be ready or already started with their snacks to listen as they eat. 

Brain Break: (fruit snack) is eaten during the morning session. Students bring a small piece of fruit that can easily be eaten while working (e.g. an apple, a handful of strawberries or banana). This is usually around 10am however depends on the class and what is occurring (e.g. on specialist or library days it may be earlier or later). 

Supervised Recess & Lunch Eating: During this time students eat their food whilst supervised in the classroom. Most students finish eating their food within these allocated times. 

We collect different types of rubbish in the classrooms as part of our focus on sustainability. This includes food scraps for the chickens; other recycling and general rubbish. Removing wrappers inside helps to ensure that they end up in the correct place. 

We appreciate that appetites vary, and children will eat different amounts of food at varying speeds. Some students complete their eating in a matter of minutes; others need more time. Our supervised eating times aim to find a balance between this. Teachers encourage students to focus on eating and limit their social interactions to ensure they have eaten sufficient food. At times, this is a challenging task as lots of students enjoy a bit of a chat during downtime! 

Many kids also usually want to eat quickly so that they can head outside and play. In this situation, it’s a good idea to choose foods that your child enjoys and are simple and easy to eat. Some children might not want to spend time on fiddly packaging. It’s also a good idea to make sure that containers seal well but can be opened easily to ensure food is easy to get to. Involving students in preparing their lunch can also assist them to know what they have to eat and when it is for. 

Rest assured that students will usually eat when they are hungry, and teachers will support and encourage students during eating times at school. 

If you still have concerns about your child coming home with food in their lunchbox, please contact your child’s teacher to have a chat. There is usually a simple explanation and together you can develop a plan to assist your child.