PUPILS at Verdin High School are one step ahead of the game when it comes to swapping junk food for healthier options. This week Education Secretary Ruth Kelly announced all junk food is to be banned from school meals and vending machines within a year. But teachers say youngsters at the Winsford school have already ditched chips and fizzy drinks in favour of salad and water. Deputy headteacher Martin Howlett, who takes over as head in January, said: 'We've already made massive strides and we're one of the leading schools in terms of the healthy food we offer. 'We started tackling the problem of junk food last Christmas before all the hype with Jamie Oliver. We did a study looking at the impact of food on learning and concentration and the transformation since has been incredible.' Fizzy drinks have been replaced with water in the school's vending machines and healthy breakfasts are served from 8am onwards. The canteen now has a salad bar, and also serves pasta, rice, tortilla wraps, jacket potatoes, fruit juice and fruit smoothies. Catering supervisor Anne Pepper says the response of the children has been unbelievable. She said: 'The salad bar is the most popular serving station every lunchtime. The way the children have reacted to the changes has been fantastic - they absolutely love the healthy options. Mr Howlett added: 'The idea of banning junk food from schools outright is excellent, but is has to be taken with a pinch of salt. 'The difficulty comes in making the changes manageable for different schools - it has to be practical and that's the most important thing. 'It's one thing for a politician to stand up and say these things but it's another for them to be implemented properly. Woodford Lodge High School teacher Joanne Tringham, who is heavily into the school's healthy eating initiative, said: 'We banned junk food a long time ago, so the Government proposals won't affect us much at all. 'We now have a system where the children buy food using a kind of credit card, so parents can see exactly what their children have been eating.' Mike Holland, headteacher at Hartford High School, said: 'We have been a chip and burger free school for the last 16 months, and we haven't sold chocolate in school for the same length of time! 'All the evidence suggests that healthy eating produces better behaviour and better pupil performance.' | 
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