FLIXTON Infants School is now ‘cooking on gas’ thanks to a £300,000 investment.

The Mardale Avenue school has had a new commercial kitchen installed following a rapid growth in children taking up free school meals.

The new kitchen cost £327,000, £145,000 of which was provided by the Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme (UIFSM) and £182,000 provided by Trafford Council.

Headteacher Steve Bentham said: “I took up the role of head teacher at Flixton Infants at about the same time the introduction of Universal Free School Meals was rolled out across the country.

“While the meals being served at Flixton Infants were more than adequate, it was clear that possible increases in numbers taking up the option of a school meal was going to mean that the school could struggle to accommodate this.

“We were having meals prepared elsewhere and brought to the school, going forward I did not believe that was good enough either for our children or a cost effective service.

“I can speak for everyone at the school and say we are all excited about the prospect of food prepared and cooked in our own kitchen by our new chef.”

The investment also signals another major milestone as now all Trafford’s schools can provide on-site catering for their pupils.

Executive member Cllr Laura Evans said: “We are extremely proud that all Trafford schools can now provide on-site catering for all their pupils rather than having to rely on meals being transported to the school.

“It is essential that children have the opportunity to enjoy a good quality lunchtime meal which helps set them up for their afternoon lessons and activities and now the new kitchen is in place, I'm sure there will be even more parents taking advantage of the school meal service.”