Hampton Hill Junior School is halfway through a twelve month joint curriculum project, the aim of which is to look at lunch provision in both schools. The project entitled Healthy Eating – how’s lunchtime for you? is being managed by a core group of children from across the school, some of whom were lucky enough to visit Johyama Elementary School, Nagano, Japan recently.

An interest in all things Japanese, language and culture is a feature of this large, dynamic junior school situated near Hampton Court Palace. Global Education Coordinator and Year 6 teacher Zoë Griffiths is leading the project, after she began an after school Japanese club three years ago, which has led to Japanese themed events now being a regular part of the school calendar.

The return visit to Johyama also involved three teachers and ten children. “It was something I never dreamed I would do,” said Francesca, aged 11. “I stayed with a wonderful Japanese family and had so many unforgettable experiences.” The group spent time sightseeing in Tokyo, as well as four days getting a taste of school life in Japan. A visit to a lunch preparation centre also showed how hot, nutritionally balanced lunches for all children in the area were made.

“All the children eat the same lunch, and we were really surprised that they ate everything, nothing was wasted,“ said Kate Harrison, a Year 4 teacher who has since gone on to coordinate the project to monitor how much packaging and food is thrown away at Hampton Hill.