A SCHOOL has announced it will be doing spot checks on pupils' bags to confiscate sweets in a crackdown on unhealthy food.

The Aureus School in Didcot, Oxfordshire, sent out a bulletin to parents informing them their children could be searched on their way into school to check for sugary snacks.

Kids have been caught by staff buying "large amounts of sweets" from the nearby Asda store on their way into school, despite being banned from the premises.

A notice in Aureus School's online bulletin this morning read: "A member of the leadership team is outside Asda most mornings to help students get to school on time, and we have noticed an increase in students purchasing large amounts of sweets first thing in the morning.

"We will be carrying out random bag checks at the gate to ensure that all sweets are kept in reception until the end of school, as we have noticed an increase in the amount of contraband items including chewing gum on school site."

The head teacher says random spot checks have been carried out since the school opened in September 2017, with sweets, fizzy drinks and other sugary snacks being confiscated and returned at the end of the day.

SCHOOL'S SWEETS BAN
The school has tight food regulations and pupils aren't even allowed to bring in their own packed lunches - they must instead eat hot food from the canteen.

Its lunch policy says: "Research shows that packed lunches are not as nutritionally balanced as cooked lunches. Unhealthy packed lunches fuel obesity.

"Food and nutrition is an essential part of developing the whole child, and research shows that healthy children learn better."

All meat served in the canteen is Halal and the only drink children are allowed is water.

Snacks available to pupils include toast, homemade cakes, yoghurt, fruit and pastries.

Hannah Wilson, headteacher at the school in Candytuft Way, explained: "Our commitment to healthy eating is a significant part of our wellbeing strategy, which includes our healthy lunches and educating our students to avoid unhealthy snacks.

"Healthy minds need healthy bodies and this is why we do not want our students to bring sweets, sugary snacks and drinks as well as energy drinks onto the school site."

She says staff are working with store managers at Asda and Costa to "support positive behaviour in the community" and "discourage students from buying cheap, unhealthy snacks and drinks in bulk."