School Catering Staff achieve latest hygiene qualification

Five catering staff from Upper Wharfedale School, Threshfield, have become the first school catering staff in North Yorkshire to complete a new course in food hygiene and safety.

School cook Claire Hawkins and her colleagues Rosetta Ely, Michelle Butterworth, Caryl Reeday and Rebecca Newton have all passed the new Level 2 Award in Food safety in Catering accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Officers (CIEH).

The course has been raised from a level 1 to a level 2 qualification and includes the recent changes in food safety legislation which includes the need for caterers to have a rigorous quality assurance system in place.

County Councillor John Watson, the Executive Member for schools said: “North Yorkshire County Council is already proving that it is serious about improving the quality of meals in our schools”

“These certificates show we are raising the bar in food hygiene and safety too.  Early indications are that our new healthier menus are proving popular with children and their parents.”

Head Teacher Ros Rees added: “I was delighted that all the catering staff had successfully completed the certificate in food safety”

Our picture shows the catering staff being presented with their certificate by Ros.