There is a fresh feel to St William's Primary School in Thorpe St Andrew this term after pupils played a major part in improvements.

Pupils were asked towards the end of the last school year how they thought lunchtimes could be improved and the ideas have been put into practice.

This has included improving the look of the dining room, less queueing and children who are eating hot and cold dinners being able to sit together.

The school – which has 420 pupils covering reception to year six age – received a small grant from Healthy Schools Norfolk from money left over from a recent Department for Education and Skills project to transform school food. So the school's personal health and social education coordinator, Rosie O'Brien, set about asking what could be improved.

She explained further: 'The children and parents told us that they didn't like the dining room so we had a competition for the infants and for the juniors and the winning entries are now on the wall.'

Five-year-old Eloise Watts, now in year one, was the infants winner with her 'Munch Time' design, and eight-year-old Benjamin Steward-Miles, now in year four, designed the Formula One inspired 'Pit Stop' design that won the juniors competition.

They now both hang proudly in the dining room, but that is not all that has changed, as Ms O'Brien continued: 'We now have two sittings at lunch so that there is less queueing and the kids seem happier and are getting used to the new system. So hopefully we are really showing that we listen to listen our children.'

Parents and governors were invited to St William's for an official launch event on Monday, to have a look at the improvements, which have been worked on and organised by the St William's School Council.

Have you got a story about the Thorpe St Andrew area? Call local reporter David Freezer on 01603 772418 or email david.freezer@archant.co.uk