THERE'S been a turn around in fortunes for the catering at a York school.

In November last year a hygiene inspection at Huntington School gave a poor rating to the dining facilities when the food hygiene score for North Yorkshire County Caterers at the school was just 1 out of 5, meaning ‘major improvement necessary’.

The school say that visit was undertaken when their new facility was being constructed and staff were working out of a temporary kitchen, but now they are delighted to report that a follow-up visit of the new facility last week resulted in a 5* rating - the highest available.  

City of York Council food safety inspectors re-visited the school, which has 1,500 students aged 11-18, after a much-improved dining area opened had opened following a £1 million investment by City of York Council.

Last year, head teacher, Matt Smith said the kitchen was meant to be ready at the start of the school year. But the building work was two months late, a delay contractors blamed on a shortage of supplies.

In the interim, the school was using a small kitchen in the Sixth Form Common Room.

Mr Smith said that it was never intended to be used for mass food production – and this was the area judged to be lacking by the food hygiene inspectors.

At the time the school went on to use the catering facilities at nearby Fulford School and transferred cooked food across each day at the request of North Yorkshire County Caterers.

Today Mr Smith said: "“We are really pleased that the latest food hygiene inspection has awarded Huntington School the highest rating.

"We have worked hard with our caterers and City of York Council to ensure that our new dining hall facility serves food to the highest standard possible.”