Oundle Primary School has introduced school dinners, decades after the school had converted the kitchen into a class room. The head teacher, Janet McMurdo, said that the school introduced the scheme after parents began to ask why school dinners were not available. A questionnaire was sent out and it was discovered that a large number of parents did want their children to have school dinners because it was more convenient than making a packed lunch every day. Parents, children and staff all think the scheme is wonderful.

The children are given a choice of a cooked meal or packed lunch, which they are allowed to vary from day to day. The meals, which are catered for by Kingfishers Catering in Corby, offer a wide choice each day. It caters for allergies, vegetarians and all food preferences, offering healthy food and a balanced diet. Children can choose from a main course or vegetarian option, vegetables or salad with a carbohydrate a jacket potato with filling. They can also choose from a choice of pudding or fresh fruit and drink.

The Kingfisher Company precook the meals and bring them over to the school from Corby, taking orders from the children the day before. One typical meal could consist of a chicken burger, herb diced potatoes and sweet corn or a vegetable burger. The vegetarian option could consist of a salad with ham, tomato, cucumber, lettuce and red onion and bread roll or a jacket potato topped with baked beans and sweet corn. For dessert they could have sliced peaches with ice cream. The best part about these meals is that not only are they healthy but they are also quite cheap at £1.70 per meal or £8.50 per week.

The school copes well without a kitchen. The children sit in the main hall at tables which are allocated to them every day. Good behaviour is rewarded by a special award at the end of the week. Parents have noticed that children have learnt to eat well and use a knife and fork properly. Whereas in some schools a change from greasy foods to healthy foods, a scheme promoted by the TV chef Jamie Oliver, caused outrage and criticism among some pupils and parents, the pupils of Oundle Primary School think that the move from packed lunches to hot meals has had a positive effect on their diets.