At Twerton Nursery and Infant School in Bath, a fresh fruit and vegetable initiative is making a profound impact on pupils facing significant challenges. With half of the children eligible for free school meals and many with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), the school relies on this vital support to enhance students' wellbeing and learning.
Head of School Astral Blanchard explains, “We are in an affluent city, but in a challenged area. This funding is vital for our children and makes such a difference.” The school’s participation in Tesco’s Fruit and Veg for Schools programme has provided much more than just healthy snacks—it’s changing behaviours and broadening tastes.
Twerton was among the early adopters of the scheme, which supplies free fresh produce weekly. Many pupils arrive hungry or after stressful mornings, and the fruit and veg help them regulate their behaviour and boost engagement throughout the day.
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Excitingly, the school encourages children to try new foods they might not encounter at home, expanding their palates in a fun, supportive environment. Blanchard shares, “The children love it. Parents are supportive but say their kids often won’t try these foods at home — yet with peers, they are eager to taste.”
To deepen engagement, children coined playful names for the produce, turning blueberries into “squishy marbles,” mushrooms into “fairy umbrellas,” and broccoli into “juicy green trees.” These creative ideas were even displayed at a local Tesco, sparking joy and community connection.
The initiative dovetails naturally with Twerton’s evolving curriculum focused on relevance, creativity, and speech and language development. “The scheme gave us fantastic opportunities to integrate speaking and listening into snack time, enhancing learning through sharing and conversation,” says Blanchard.
Each weekend, staff collect the produce and distribute it to classrooms, where teachers facilitate regular “fruit and talk time.” This structured snack time promotes social skills like sharing and fairness, while supporting behaviour and engagement.
Positive outcomes are clear: last year the school observed higher engagement and fewer suspensions, partly credited to the programme. Blanchard recounts a powerful example of a child with learning difficulties who gained confidence and purpose by helping prepare and serve the fruit to classmates.
For Twerton Nursery and Infant School, the Tesco fruit and veg scheme is more than just food—it’s a vital lifeline. “Without this, most children would rarely eat fresh fruit or vegetables,” says Blanchard. “It’s truly life-changing for our pupils, and we’re incredibly grateful to Tesco.”