Mother angry with school because they won't stop feeding her son cheese

An argument over cheese has broken out between a parent and a head teacher. Kerri Blakemore, 36, has asked Albany Infant and Nursery School in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, to remove cheese from her son's meals because it makes him feel sick. But the school's head, Helen Webster, has refused, the request, saying it will only cater for changes for pupils with medical conditions. The mother of seven-year-old Logan said the decision was unfair because it leaves him unable to eat four meals the school provides. Mrs Blakemore said: "My son does not like cheese and it makes him gag.

"There are four school meals with cheese and three of them could easily be changed not to have them. The head teacher will not allow it because she does not want him to have something different. Children with sandwiches have to sit in a separate area but all his friends have school meals. It is pathetic because I am only asking for a small change and I am not asking for a miracle." Mrs Blakemore says cheese could be left out of at least three meals. These are pasta with cheese sprinkled on top, spaghetti Bolognese, again with cheese sprinkled on top, and a gammon dish with potatoes and a cheese sauce.



She accepts it would be hard to prepare pizza without cheese and says she would be happy to send her son with a packed lunch on that day. Logan said: "Cheese has a horrible smell, tastes disgusting and makes me feel ill. I can taste it even when mum has tried to hide it in my food." But the school has defended its decision. Ms Webster said: "The school always provides an alternative menu for children with medically diagnosed food allergies. We do not provide alternative menus for children who like or dislike certain foods." Since September 2014, every child in reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in state-funded schools has been entitled to a free school lunch paid for by the Government.

Nottinghamshire County Council's business support manager Shane Grayson said: "While it would be nice to accommodate every child's culinary desires, this in practice would be almost unworkable within the confines of a primary school kitchen environment. As an authority we are very aware of an increasing trend in recent years towards food allergies and a variety of dietary and medical needs. As a result, school menus display allergens to give parents and children an informed choice. We regularly review our menus and carry out surveys across the county to take account of the changing culinary trends of primary school aged children and their changing tastes."