Following on from the introduction of a soft drink tax levy in the UK, teachers in Oxfordshire, England are reportedly carrying out random bag checks to stop students from smuggling sugar-filled foods into the classroom.
Aureus School’s online bulletin states: “A member of the leadership team is outside Asda most mornings to help students get to school on time, and we have noticed an increase in students purchasing large amounts of sweets first thing in the morning”.
“We will be carrying out random bag checks at the gate to ensure that all sweets are kept in reception until the end of school, as we have noticed an increase in the amount of contraband items including chewing gum on school site,” the bulletin said.
Since opening in 2017, the school has reportedly been very strict on the food it allows students to bring into the school.
The school’s lunch policy stated: “Food and nutrition is an essential part of developing the whole child, and research shows that healthy children learn better”.
Students are reportedly only allowed to drink water on school grounds, and they are not allowed to bring packed lunches, as they aren’t as nutritionally balanced as a cooked lunch provided by the school.