Staff Profile

Leah Norman

When Leah left school she worked as a Quality Control Secretary in a large food production company.  In April 1991, she became second chef in a hotel and gained both experience and City and Guild Qualifications.  The hotel closed down and Leah moved on to continue her work as second chef, this time in a large nursing home. 

In December 1996, she saw the position of cook at St Mary's advertised in the local paper and knew this was the ideal position for her and took up this role in January 1997. Leah continued with her studies and completed the Certificate in Management Studies (CMS) and the Intermediate and Advanced Food Hygiene Courses.  In September 2004, Leah became the Head of Catering.  She has also gained the Certificate in Advanced Health & Safety and the Level 2 certificate in Healthier Food & Special Diets.

Leah says, "the Catering Department is always very busy and there are never two days the same.  The Catering Team work closely with the Nursing Team to provide an extensive range of healthy eating options, in addition to comprehensive individualised dietary plans accommodating a wide range of special diets.  These include low-fat, diabetic, additive free and specific allergic diets. There is a dysphagic eating programme for pupils with swallowing difficulties which ensures a safe and broad range of foods are adapted for this particular need".

Leah says, "You have probably heard that the government has introduced new, higher standards for school meals. School meals need to change because of worries that many children eat too much food with lots of fat, salt and sugar. This can lead to serious health problems now and later in their lives. Sweet fizzy drinks can also cause tooth decay and make children put on too much weight, at St Mary's we discourage all fizzy drinks.

All schools including St Mary's must now offer healthier choices at lunchtime. The new standards mean more fresh food, including fruit and vegetables, and less deep fried food and manufactured meat products. Sweets, chocolates and crisps are not allowed during the school day.

Most of these guidelines are not new to us here at St Mary's; we have been exceeding most of the guidelines recommended for many years. The government guidelines are for school lunches, at St Mary's we already follow many guidelines over the whole day. Both Ofsted and CSCI inspections have graded the overall food served at St Mary's as excellent.  We pride ourselves on purchasing quality local ingredients including fruit and vegetables and purchase supplies that are additive, preservative and colouring free wherever possible".

St Mary's was proud to be awarded the healthy school status in June 2008.  The National Healthy Schools Programme is an exciting long-term initiative which is making a significant difference to the health and achievement of children and young people. The National Healthy Schools Programme supports the links between health, behaviour and achievement; it is about creating healthy and happy children and young people, who do better in learning and in life.