THERE is nothing half-baked about Dean Barwick Primary School as it meets the challenge of providing Universal Infant Free School Meals head on.

Staff at the school had to work for free over the summer and call in many favours to build a new kitchen so they could meet government demands.

Now, 100% of its pupils, even those with food allergies, from reception to year six, eat at the school which uses home-grown vegetables and eggs from the school's chickens as well as produce from local farms.

It has a five star food hygiene rating and is a host school for the School's Food Trust.

Head teacher Linda Graves says she is 'proud' of the school's 'hugely successful' venture.

South Lakeland MP Tim Farron visited the school to see its achievements first hand and said: “It’s great that more than 15,000 children here in Cumbria will now see the benefits of a hot, healthy, free lunch at school.

“Delivering the policy has not always been straightforward and I’m glad so many head teachers have embraced it, knowing that there is good evidence that it will help their pupils learn.

“I want to pay tribute to teachers and staff for helping make this policy happen in schools throughout our area.”