Education Today Education Today Magazine
One of the oldest schools in Wales has seen its school meal uptake rocket, following a complete redesign of their main dining area, in a project that the headteacher says has ‘revolutionised the catering experience’.
Hawarden High School, in Flintshire, Wales, has partnered with Dolce Schools Catering, the family-run independent caterers, which completed the full fit-out and design service with their in-house team of experts.
Following the redesign, for the four months September-December 2024, the school has reported a consistent 98% uptake on Free School Meals and 76% uptake on paid school meals, far above average.
Serving over one thousand pupils, aged between 11-18 years old every day, Dolce’s flagship offering at Hawarden’s newly designed Food Court offers students a diverse culinary experience across four ‘zones’: Street Kitchen, Casa Brasilia, Italian Kitchen and the Toast Office. Each zone features its own custom menu, offering global flavours, on-trend dishes and meals tailored to a wide range of tastes.
Scott Curtis, Managing Director of Dolce, says: “We started offering our fit-out service in 2019, and Hawarden is the first high school we’ve transformed in Wales, so this represents a milestone for us. Unlike other caterers, who usually always have to outsource their design service as they don’t have the expertise in-house, we have our own dedicated team, meaning we not only offer unrivalled expertise but also a more affordable redesign option for schools.
“In fact, the redesign didn’t cost the school any upfront money – we covered the cost with the view that the increased uptake will deliver more revenue. Removing the financial barriers for schools is key to ensuring pupils have access to the best possible catering.
“Our design and fit-out service isn’t about changing a few signs; it’s a complete overhaul including flooring, cladding, seating and lighting. We have a diversely-skilled team with a wealth of experience behind them, having worked on well-known TV sets, Glastonbury festival stages and Morrisons café fit-outs.
“Secondary school pupils are seeking food experiences similar to what they see on the high street and social media, and how a brand looks plays a big role in the purchasing decision. We make dining areas vivid, exciting, well-designed spaces – with the added benefit that the food offering itself is backed up by our team of chefs, who have created menus based around fresh ingredients, packed full of taste and nutrients. Schools can come to us and get their whole catering offering managed – from the food to the design – under one roof.”
Simon Budgen, Headteacher at Hawarden High School, said: “We’re a busy, thriving school – we see over a thousand students come through our lunch hall every day. Since we started working with Dolce, service speeds have become much more efficient thanks to the innovative till system, there is a wide variety of food on offer and students are more engaged; they often comment on what they’ve tried and suggest dishes to me. It’s wonderful to see so many pupils enjoying their lunchtime and refuelling for an afternoon of learning.”
The four zones include:
· The ‘Street Kitchen’ which offers street-style live cooking, with dishes including Gaeng Daeng Red Thai Pork with Noodles, Kashmiri Vegetable, Chickpea & Spinach Biryani, Greek Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki & Crisp Salad and Katsu Curry with Crispy Chicken or Quorn and Spring Onion Rice. There are also classic mains, with a meat and vegetarian/vegan option each day, such as Marinated Roast Chicken with Roasties, Battered Fish & Chips, Vegan Sausage Roll and Chips, Mediterranean Tart with New Potatoes and Falafel Burger and Chips.
· ‘Casa Brasilia’ which brings Brazilian-inspired dishes to the menu, with wings a feature on the menu every day – marinated in different sauces including Jerk, Sweet Chilli, Garlic & Lemon and Tikka – as well as main dishes such as Pork Taco with Wedges and Slaw, Peri Peri Beef Quesadilla with Chilli, and Tomato Rice and Cajun Chicken Burger with Paprika Fries.
· Italian Kitchen which offers Italian fare, including hand-stretched pizzas, offering classic favourites such as Pepperoni, Three Cheese Margherita, and Roast Vegetable Calzone, as well as a chef’s special pizza every day. Alongside this is a pasta of the day, such as Four Cheese Tortellini with a Tomato and Pesto sauce, Spicy Mexican Vegetable pasta, and Mushroom Carbonara.
· The Toast Office which offers a selection of toasties, oozing with tasty flavours such as Chicken Tikka Melt, Roasted Pepper & Halloumi, Pepperoni and Roast Onion, and Tomato, Mozzarella and Pesto.
In every zone, a wide variety of grab & go options are offered daily, including Mexican Chicken Burrito, Crispy Quorn Dipper Wrap with a Cool Mayo, Tandoori Chicken Khati Wrap with Indian Slaw, and Sweet Chilli Glazed Sausage and Peppers in a Sub Roll, as well as Loaded Fries and Jacket Potatoes topped with cheese, bacon and salsa.
A pupil at Hawarden School, said: “I really like all the different areas and being able to try different foods from around the world. The food is really tasty and much better than what we used to have. It gets very busy at lunchtime but the queues move quickly so it doesn’t take that long at all.”
Dolce combines family values, service excellence and customer support with ground-breaking tech and innovative skills, to stand out within the sector. Dolce works with over 650 primary and secondary schools across England and Wales, providing 125,000 meals for pupils every day.
