School kitchen closed for deep clean following food hygiene inspection

Nicholas Thomas, Local Democracy Reporter

A primary school’s kitchen was closed and deep-cleaned on Monday following a food hygiene inspection.

Newport city council said “immediate action” was taken at Charles Williams Church in Wales School, in Caerleon, after the inspectors’ visit.

Chartwells Schools, which provides the catering service at the school, said it was “shocked” to receive a rating that “clearly falls short of the high standards we set ourselves”.

Further details of the inspection have not yet been published, and are usually made available within a few weeks of visits being carried out.

The council said it had received “reassurances… that the measures taken by school meals provider Chartwells and the council’s property partners have addressed all the concerns”.

“The kitchen was closed on Monday for a deep clean but meals were brought into school, including hot food, to ensure pupils could have their meals as usual,” a council spokesperson explained.

“A request is being made for a re-inspection to take place as soon as possible, as there is high confidence that there has already been a vast improvement in food hygiene standards and those will be maintained.”

A Chartwells Schools spokesperson said “safely catering for pupils is our number-one priority”.

“We took this matter extremely seriously and immediately rectified the issues raised,” they added. “We look forward to welcoming back the [environmental health] officer.”

Chartwells reportedly has a food hygiene rating of four or five at nearly all of the schools where the firm operates.