Head disgusted by food requests in-house caterers

Jason Ashley said the food being served to students was was "unacceptable"

The head teacher at the centre of a row over the quality of school meals said he had requested that catering in his school be brought in-house.

Jason Ashley, head of Redbridge Community School in Southampton, said he had a "complete lack of trust in Chartwells to transform the catering in the school".

In an earlier letter to parents, Mr Ashley said the meals served in his school's canteen were "completely unacceptable".

Chartwells previously promised an "immediate action plan" to improve the food.

The "consistency and the quality of the food has progressively got worse" since Chartwells took over the school's catering 18 months ago, Mr Ashley told BBC Radio Solent on Thursday.

"For a headteacher who takes a lot of pride in their school... I just felt I couldn't preside over the quality of the food that was being served anymore."

Mr Ashley said he did not trust that Chartwells would improve

He told Chartwells in a meeting that he was going to write to parents to get their opinion on the food.

"I did actually lose my temper which I very rarely do in school for lots of different reasons, but I was just so frustrated that I'm in another meeting... with people that want to write action plans but actually don't have any action to it," he said.

Mr Ashley said the parents largely agreed that the food was poor quality.

"This isn't about the people who work in the kitchen who are hard-working parents, it is a failure of leadership of Chartwells," he said.

"And I came to the conclusion... that they just don't care, and I think that's what's so sad about it."

On Wednesday, a spokesperson for Chartwells apologised that its "usual level of service has fallen below the high standards we demand", and said it was "committed to working in collaboration with the school".

On Thursday, Chartwells said it would not comment further.

The Department for Education (DfE) previously said: "Our guidance around school catering is clear - that children need a healthy, balanced meal to help them concentrate and learn.

"Schools must work collaboratively with their food supplier to ensure high standards are in place.

"All food provided in schools must meet our food standards guidelines, but contracts with food suppliers are the responsibility of schools."