Sherborne Schools Group & Lodestone House
Nourishing Minds and Bodies at Sherborne.
At Sherborne, food is far more than part of the daily routine, it is central to pupil wellbeing, performance, and community life. Through our partnership with Lodestone House, we provide a distinctive catering experience that combines exceptional food with nutritional expertise and educational value.
A Unique Strength: Our In-House Nutritionist
A defining and genuinely distinctive feature of Sherborne is the presence of a full-time, in-house nutritionist, Tara, a provision that remains exceptionally rare within independent education.
Tara’s unique role places expert-led nutrition at the heart of school life, ensuring that food provision is not only carefully designed to support growth, cognitive performance and physical health, but is also continuously evolving through regular pupil feedback. Menus are shaped collaboratively with pupils, resulting in a responsive dining experience that balances nutritional excellence with enjoyment and choice. Alongside this, close oversight of dietary requirements and allergens ensures that every pupil feels safe, supported and individually considered.
Beyond the dining hall, Tara’s role extends across the entire school community, contributing to both curriculum enrichment and pastoral care. Through workshops, assemblies, and hands-on sessions in classrooms and boarding houses, pupils gain practical knowledge about topics such as balanced nutrition, food and mood, sustainability, and performance fuelling. The bespoke nature of the role allows for one-to-one guidance tailored to individual needs, including dedicated support for sports scholars. By working closely with teaching staff, house teams, catering colleagues and families, Tara helps to embed a culture of wellbeing across the schools, equipping pupils with lifelong skills, confidence and a positive relationship with food.
A Thoughtful Approach to School Food
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Our kitchens provide fresh, seasonal meals designed to support both academic achievement, sporting performance and overall wellbeing. Much of our food is freshly prepared onsite, ensuring high standards of quality, flavour, and nutritional value. Menus change termly and are carefully planned to meet the needs of growing young people, with a strong emphasis on:
From breakfast through to supper, mealtimes are structured to encourage healthy habits that extend well beyond school life. |
The Garden-Kitchen-Classroom Philosophy
At the heart of our provision is the Garden–Kitchen–Classroom approach; a holistic model that connects pupils to food at every stage:
- Garden – Developing an understanding of where food comes from and nurturing respect for sustainability
- Kitchen – Transforming quality ingredients into balanced, appealing meals
- Classroom – Building knowledge around nutrition, health, and informed decision-making
We aim to give pupils the knowledge and confidence to make informed choices independently. Through workshops, informal education, and everyday dining experiences, students develop:
- A clear understanding of nutrition and energy needs
- Practical skills for making balanced food choices
- A positive and informed relationship with food
A Distinctive Dining Experience
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Each school offers a dining environment tailored to its pupils:
Across all settings, the same high standards apply fresh, carefully prepared food and a consistent focus on nutritional balance.
Sherborne offers a truly distinctive approach to food, combining high-quality catering, expert nutritional oversight, and meaningful education. It is a provision designed not only to nourish pupils today, but to equip them with habits and knowledge that will support their health and wellbeing long into the future. For more information about food and nutrition at Sherborne, please contact Chris Pepin (Contract Director).
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