Catering manager Sue Lockett with pupils and staff at The Marches School, Oswestry.

Efforts to persuade more Shropshire secondary pupils to have school dinners are paying off.

In 2007, the former county council was trying to solve a cash crisis within its school meals service which appeared to stem from the drive towards healthy eating.

Many pupils were rejecting Jamie Oliver-style menus which used more fresh produce, much sourced in Shropshire.

The catering deficit in the secondary sector was estimated at nearly £180,000.

But according to Carole Fisher, the service’s area manager for secondary schools, the past two years have seen an increase in meals take-up and better control of overheads, resulting in better performance.

The key reasons have been consulting customers and clients, new food and a service revamp, including the creation of “food courts”.

Carole said: “Our focus has been the customer,quality food reasonable priced, delivered in surroundings our customers want to eat in,” she said.

“Year to date our income is 10.9 per cent up on last year with pupil daily spend increasing 6.6 per cent.” An example of the success is the Marches School at Oswestry where there has been a 51.4 per cent increase in income.

Pupils can go to a counter and pick up a traditional dish of the day with dessert or use the deli bar. Service is speedy and there are far fewer complaints.

“We are constantly improving, with six schools in profit and six schools at break even, with the remaining on target or thereabouts,” said Carole.

But she cautioned: “The hard part is maintaining what we have done.”

By Education Correspondent Dave Morris