PUPILS at a Glasgow school have taken a creative approach to healthy eating, boosting the number of pupils taking school dinners by 30%

PUPILS at a Glasgow school have taken a creative approach to healthy eating, boosting the number of pupils taking school dinners.

Eastbank Academy and Cordia installed a gallery café as part of the school's Fuel Zone.

And since the gallery was put in place last August, the percentage of pupils eating in school is up 30 percentage points from 13% to 43%.

The Shettleston school previously had the poorest lunch uptake of any Glasgow secondary.

Head teacher Gordon Shaw said: "The gallery café is popular with the pupils and staff.

"Healthy eating is extremely important for performance within in the classroom.

"Furthermore it is excellent to be able to give our budding young artists the chance to showcase their work in front of an appreciative audience and I look forward to seeing more exhibits on display over the coming months."

Artistic pupils are able to display their work in the cafe area.

Eastbank Academy is surrounded by more than 25 different fast-food takeaways, which were visited on a daily basis by pupils.

Cordia and Mr Shaw have worked to urge pupils to stay in the school during lunchtime, implementing changes to the dining hall and menu and setting up the gallery-café.

Julia McCreadie, head of facilities management at Cordia, added: "We're extremely pleased by how popular the café-gallery at has been with the pupils.

"Young people want the options available on the high street to be replicated within school dining areas."

catriona.stewart@ eveningtimes.co.uk