From September 2026, all schools are legally required to follow Benedict's Law. Further information can be found by clicking here (you will be taken to the Benedict Blythe Foundation website).

At Ryton-on-Dunsmore Provost Williams CE Academy, the safety and wellbeing of every child is a priority. We are committed to creating a caring and inclusive environment where all pupils can learn, thrive and feel safe. To support pupils with severe nut allergies, we operate a nut-aware school and ask all members of our school community to work together to minimise the risk of exposure to nuts.

While we aim to reduce the presence of nuts in school, we also support children with allergies to develop an age-appropriate understanding of their condition and how to manage risks safely as they grow and become more independent.

Food Items That Should Not Be Brought Into School

Please do not send the following items in packed lunches, snacks or for special occasions:

• Packs of nuts
• Peanut butter sandwiches
• Nutella or other chocolate spreads containing nuts
• Fruit or cereal bars containing nuts
• Chocolate bars or sweets containing nuts
• Sesame seed rolls (some children with nut allergies may also have severe reactions to sesame)
• Cakes, biscuits or baked goods containing nuts
• Homemade meals or snacks containing nuts or nut products

School Meals

Our catering provider, Caterlink, follows Natasha's Law and prepares food on site without nuts as ingredients.

However, as products may be manufactured in environments where nuts are present, it is not possible to guarantee a completely nut-free environment. Staff are also unable to check every item brought into school. For this reason, we encourage everyone to remain vigilant and work together to reduce risk.

What Foods Are Considered Nuts?

Examples include:

• Almonds 
• Cashew nuts 
• Hazelnuts
• Pistachios 
• Walnuts
• Brazil nuts
• Peanuts
• Nut oils and products containing nut ingredients

Supporting Children with Allergies

Parents and carers must inform the school of any known or suspected food allergies and provide all relevant medical information. This information will be included in your child's healthcare plan and, where appropriate, a meeting may be arranged with the school nurse or relevant professionals to ensure the correct support is in place.

Homemade Food

If homemade snacks or treats are brought into school, they must be clearly labelled with all ingredients. We ask that food is prepared in a nut-free environment wherever possible. If you are unsure whether a food item is suitable, please speak to a member of staff before bringing it into school.

Working Together

We kindly ask all parents and carers to support our nut-aware approach by avoiding nuts and products containing nuts in packed lunches and snacks. By working together as a school community, we can help ensure that all children remain safe, included and able to participate fully in school life.