Jobs saved by head's school dinner plan

Heather Manahan and Janet Pudan were both told that their jobs were on the line after the meals budget at the Wittersham Primary School came under strain. But the head took matters into her own hands and arranged lunchtime sittings for adults. The menu, including traditional school favourites, was priced at £3 for a main dish and a dessert. Headmistress Judith Thornton said she had no other choice but to come up with an initiative that would save the cooks their jobs: "The problem was that if we couldn't break even with the school meals then we were going to have to release staff and bring meals in for the children." So to prevent this from happening: "We put a flyer in the village magazine asking if people were interested in having back school dinners," explained Judith. Pupils now even help dish out the dinners during their lunch break: "Year six take it in turn to act as hosts taking people to the serving hatch and helping them with their meals," said Judith. Judith went on to explain that the dining room is always packed and that the record number of bookings they have had so far is 27.