A WEST Somerset first school was celebrating this week after its catering team scored an outstanding improvement in an independent audit.

St Peter’s Church of England First School, in Williton, secured its highest‑ever score in the catering audit, which was carried out by Somerset Council’s catering advisory service.

The school’s overall rating rose from 85.43 per cent in 2025 to 93.42 per cent for 2026, marking a significant uplift in food safety, hygiene, menu quality, and, notably, the overall dining experience for pupils.

The audit, which assessed everything from kitchen hygiene to nutritional compliance, highlighted major gains across both the production and receiving kitchens, with several areas achieving a perfect 100 per cent score.

St Peter’s, which has about 110 pupils aged from four to nine years, was rated good in every category in its last Ofsted inspection in 2024.

Among the standout audit improvements were exceptional hygiene results, with ATP swab tests showing extremely low readings across all surfaces, and a transformed dining experience which now provides a calmer, cleaner, and more enjoyable lunchtime for children.

Inspectors found several dining‑experience elements achieved 100 per cent for the first time, including The Room, which was praised for its calm ambience, cleanliness, and well‑managed lunchtime routines, and staffing, recognised for warm, positive interactions and staff encouragement which supported a sociable and enjoyable mealtime.

The inspectors also noted children now benefited from a dining space which felt welcoming and safe, with smoother lunchtime routines to reduce noise, congestion, and stress, all factors known to support pupils’ wellbeing and readiness to learn.

St Peter’s headteacher Maida White praised the dedication of the school’s catering and lunchtime teams.

Mrs White said: “The improvements in our children’s dining experience mean more to us than any percentage score.

“A calm, positive lunchtime sets the tone for the rest of the school day.

“I am incredibly proud of our staff, this achievement reflects their commitment and high standards, professionalism, and real care for our children.

“Our pupils enjoy a space where they can eat, talk, and relax, and that makes a real difference to their wellbeing.”

The audit also noted strengthened collaboration between St Peter’s and the production kitchen in nearby Danesfield Middle School, alongside significant improvements in documentation, allergen management, portion control, and adherence to school food standards.

While the report identified a small number of next steps, such as improving consistency in cold food temperature checks and ensuring annual ventilation certification, these were described as ‘manageable’ and ‘straightforward to address’.

Governor representatives said they were ‘delighted’ with the findings and noted the school had made ‘rapid and sustained progress’ and now sat firmly within the ‘strong’ performance category.

For St Peter’s, the results reflected not just improved systems, but a wider commitment to giving pupils a safe, welcoming, and healthy lunchtime environment.

Mrs White said: “This is a wonderful moment for our school community.

“Our team thoroughly deserve this recognition, and we are excited to build on this success in the year ahead.”