SCHOOL cooks returned to the classroom to hone their culinary skills and increase goodness of canteen food.

Seven dinner ladies at Teesdale Comprehensive School, in Barnard Castle, are the first to take a City and Guilds qualification run by Darlington College to provide healthier school meals.

The school is a national pilot project for the School Food Trust, a body set up by the Government in response to an initiative by TV chef Jamie Oliver.

Better-quality school dinners have had a big effect on the behaviour and concentration of pupils.

Head chef and catering manager Nick Copson said: "We started from the beginning and now everything is made with fresh ingredients.

The effect was instant.

"Chips and deep fried food were phased out over a period of time and the kids weren't even bothered because they liked the new food. The brain works a lot better with quality food and there has been a massive difference in lessons."

Catering assistant Susan Wood said: "I was a bit nervous about going back to college, but I was thrilled that I did so well."

Darlington College tutor Dawn Cobb said the course was designed to show how small changes could make a difference.

Students learnt about food groups, the nutritional makeup of food and healthy cooking methods.

"For instance, if you are making an apple crumble, use fresh apples and sultanas, oat flakes and wholemeal flour,"

she said.