Persuading children to eat their greens at Gayhurst Community School

19 Mar 2013

At Gayhurst Community School in East London we use a “Captain’s Table” as an incentive for eating and behaving well in the dining hall. Many primary schools use this strategy.

A table is laid every other week in our dining hall, with a table cloth, glasses, fancy crockery and cutlery. This is the Captain’s Table. Every time a child eats a balanced meal (including vegetables) and uses good table manners, he or she is given a special ticket. The tickets are drawn and the children who are chosen are given a golden invitation in assembly and then a three-course feast at the Captain’s Table. They are waited on by school staff and are joined by a “special” adult guest each time.