Our students have a keen sense of their responsibility to our planet - from our young learners caring for nature in Forest School to our older students within their student-run Environmental Committee. We are proud to nurture this as part of our approach to learning, delivering on our promise to educate young people about the world they are growing up in beyond academic subjects and exams.

We now know that regulating our consumption of animal products can have a real impact in helping protect our planet. We’re therefore pleased to introduce 'Meat Free Mondays' to the Foundation. This means that on the last Monday of every month, starting Monday 29 January, we will be offering meat free menus across all our schools.

Kevin Jackman, our Executive Chef Manager, explains his rationale for the initiative:

I am always looking for ways to introduce new things to our students and broaden their understanding of nutrition and health. With 1.2 million people in the UK now vegetarian and 542,000 people now vegan (almost half of whom are aged between 15 and 34)* I feel that it’s important for us to join other schools in recognising this growing demand for meat free menus among young people. 

These once-a-month Meat Free Monday menu choices will still offer our students all the nutrients (including protein, calcium and iron) that they need, while allowing them to explore some of the fantastic recipes available within vegetarian and vegan cuisine.

For younger students, we will support this new menu with an educational piece; in each of our 3-11 schools, we are holding an assembly on the topic and following up in PSHE lessons, so that students understand why we are introducing the initiative.

As with everything we do, this initiative won't stand still. We will be listening to feedback, learning and evolving as we go. 

*Sources: The Telegraph, The Guardian and Munchies