Gabby's Work Experience - Cleeve School Case Study

After an exciting and informative week of work experience, working within the marketing team, Friday has arrived and I am able to share the Food Cube case study I’ve produced with some help!!

Having a Food Cube at Cleeve School's sixth form where I attend, it seemed a perfect opportunity to see Graphic Designer Andy in action with the camera and to see how Marketing Executive Caz works her magic with the masses of information collected and crafts it into small condensed paragraphs for the case study.

Experiencing the Food Cube myself for a hot drink on a regular basis, I was aware of the benefits it has to offer our sixth form, although this wasn’t enough information to produce a case study with. So Andy and I went on a visit to Cleeve School, where I was classed as a visitor, to interview both my peers, a member of the catering team and my teacher.

Once we arrived and Andy had snapped away, the interview with the Acting Assistant Head of Sixth Form began, during which the Food Cube was seen in action with two students purchasing a hot drink. After I had carried out all three interviews, and made over a page of notes on the benefits and uses of the Cube, it was back to the office to use this information. 

Constructing the text for the case study was a task I had underestimated - trying to include all the points made by those I had interviewed whilst keeping it short and punchy wasn’t as easy as it appeared. However with assistance from the expert herself, Cleeve School’s Food Cube Case Study was successfully completed!

Here's the finished article...

Cleeve School's Food Cube Case Study

Cleeve School, a large secondary school with busy sixth form, wanted a solution to encourage sixth form students to remain on site during their free periods. They decided to install a PKL Food Cube directly outside the sixth form centre, and created an outdoor dining area with the addition of a canopy and tables.

The Cube has proven to be hugely popular within the sixth form, especially as it is an exclusive outlet not available to the rest of the school community. It offers menu items not available in the main canteen, such as hot drinks, and is open throughout the day rather than just at lunch and break times.

An added bonus of the Cube, manned by Julie from the catering team, is that the sixth formers have been able to build a great relationship with her. This has not only increased the Cube’s popularity, but has also made students more confident in putting forward their own menu suggestions and ideas.

 “The students really enjoy having the Food Cube and being able to come and use it on a regular basis throughout the day. The sixth form students really like the privilege of having it to use for themselves, and we have seen an improvement in students staying on site. I would definitely recommend it.” – Emma Smith, Acting Assistant Head of Sixth Form

For more information on PKL Food Cubes, click here.

PKL Hold Successful School Kitchens Forum

The London School Kitchens Forum in July, organised jointly by PKL and the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA), addressed a number of key issues facing catering in schools.

Delegates included catering and facilities management specialists from a number of local authorities, as well as representatives from associations and central government.

A key focus of the day was to consider the opportunities to improve catering facilities within the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) and Primary Capital Programme initiatives, stimulating lively discussions between speakers and delegates.

Speakers included LACA Chair Berverley Baker, A partner from EC Harris and representatives from the School Food Trust. To read more on the outcomes of the Forum, and to register your interest for the Next PKL School Kitchens Forum, please vist the link below:

http://www.schoolkitchens.com/school-kitchen-forum.php

School Kitchen Refurbishment at Winterbourne School

School Kitchen Refurbishment Project - Temporary Kitchen and Dining to feed 400 at School


PKL supplied an open plan kitchen and dining complex to feed up to 400 pupils at Winterbourne Infant School in Croydon. The kitchen and dining complex is providing the school with a semi-permanent solution and will be on-site for several years until a new permanent facility is built.
The kitchen provides fresh preparation, hot production and cold storage facilities to ensure that healthy school meals can be prepared and served on-site, while space is provided for over 200 pupils to dine in one sitting.

“The new kitchen is better equipped than its predecessor, so we have more scope to enhance the meals in line with best practice for school meals. This arrangement transfers all of the financial risk relating to the equipment to PKL so the Council is not faced with any unforeseen expenditure.”

Pearl Knights, London Borough of Croydon
The procurement process was undertaken utilising the Buying Solutions agency. Buying Solutions enables users to maximise value for money in their procurement activities by leveraging public sector purchasing power in order to deliver significant cost savings. Users are fully compliant with EU purchasing legislation and statutory regulations, ensuring best practice.

To view our complete range of solutions for the education sector, please see our education microsite http://www.schoolkitchens.com/

School Kitchen Solutions from PKL

PKL provide a wide range of solutions for the education sector with products ranging from complete school kitchen buildings to catering equipment. Over the next few weeks, our Blog will inform you of the range of kitchens for schools and catering equipment available from PKL.

Our products are specified for a wide range of requirements including a complete new kitchen, temporary kitchens for times of refurbishment and catering equipment for the education sector.

We have worked hand in hand with schools and local authorities over the last 20 years to provide a wide range of kitchen and catering solutions for schools, colleges and universities. Projects within the last year include:

Powys Council – 3 separate kitchens for schools
Croydon Council – 2 permanent modular school kitchens
Cardiff Council – Temporary and permanent facilities on 3 schools sites
High Storrs Comprehensive – Temporary Kitchen for BSF refurbishment

PKL are a Buying solutions accredited supplier, meaning local authorities and schools can procure products and benefit from cost savings leveraged from using a national government procurement organisation. This is turn helps local authorities meet spending targets set by the Government.

The use of Buying Solutions also means that users are fully compliant with UK and European procurement legislation.

For further information on procuring products and services through the Buying Solutions Frameworks, contact the Buying Solutions Service Desk on 0845 410 2222, or email custcare@ogcbs.gsi.gov.uk