North Ridge High SchoolSixth Form Hub in Manchester has been awarded the Sustainability Star Award in this year’s Jamie Oliver Good School Food Awards.
The school’s sustainability initiatives, including its innovative ‘From Plot To Plate’ catering company and fully meat-free menu, have garnered national recognition, reflecting its commitment to environmental responsibility.
Its sustainability efforts centres on its own on-site allotment, ‘The Plot,’ where students grow a range of products for use in its two catering enterprises.
These enterprises are run by students, all of whom have additional needs. Alongside The Plot, the school has two mini allotments that provide fresh herbs, onions, and potatoes.
Anything the students can’t grow themselves is sourced from local suppliers to limit its carbon footprint.
The teaching and learning framework at North Ridge High School nurtures the school’s sustainability ethos while supporting young people in developing invaluable knowledge and employability skills.
Working at the school’s allotments and catering enterprises, students learn about composting, biodiversity, food safety, and production.
They learn to grow and produce delicious food while reducing waste and being mindful of their food practices.
The menu at North Ridge Sixth Form Hub is fully meat-free, featuring beans, lentils, chickpeas, and other naturally protein-rich plant foods. This approach helps students understand how to obtain their nutritional essentials from fresh, affordable ingredients and transfer this knowledge to their home lives.
Growing its own food has enabled North Ridge to reduce single-use plastics in food packaging.
The school enforces a ban on single-use plastics and aims to purchase only compostable, biodegradable materials. Composting lessons and reusing kitchen waste wherever possible are integral parts of its program. The school also practices effective leftover management by buying foods in large quantities and using leftovers in various recipes.
The judges were impressed with North Ridge High School’s innovative approach to sustainability education and practice.
Jamie Oliver commented,
“Schools like North Ridge truly embody the spirit of the Good School Food Awards. Their dedication to sustainability education and practice is remarkable, and their ‘From Plot To Plate’ initiative and meat-free menu are shining examples of what can be achieved. Massive congratulations to everyone at North Ridge High School for this well-deserved recognition!”
