Teddington School’s students are in for a fortnight of culinary treats as a menu prepared by a two Michelin star chef replaces their usual school dinners.

Great British Menu judge Phil Howard has teamed up with school catering firm Cucina to produce a menu of classic British dishes at all 47 of the firm’s school restaurants, working on a budget of £1 a dish.

Food on offer included scotch eggs, Welsh rarebit, shortbread, lamb and lots more.

Proprietor of Mayfair’s The Square, Mr Howard said that school dinners were moving on very rapidly from the bland dishes he was served growing up in the 1970s.

He said: "One of the amazing things that is happening in the restaurant business and the cooking world is people are now talking about fresher ingredients, locally and sustainably sourced, and the next step is introducing it in schools.

"There’s something very fulfilling about giving children an understanding about healthy eating and fresh ingredients."

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Each school has a food council made up of students that provide Cucina with feedback and ideas to develop the menus.

Josh Norcutt, 14, said: "School dinners are usually nice, but one thing I would change is maybe having more variety each week.

"I sometimes bring in my own lunch but I definitely won’t be for the next two weeks, I can't wait to try more of the new meals."

Cucina Director Sam Davies, who is a chef herself, said it was very important to listen to children.

She said: "I was a boarding school girl and our school dinners were terrible, if only the meals were like this when I was younger."