Parkview Café


Parkview Café is open every Wednesday morning. Classes have allocated time slots to visit. Pupils enjoy listening to the music and relaxing whilst ordering their food and drink. The menu is designed to offer a range of food including items which pupils would not normally have at break time. The menu options are regularly changed to ensure the menu remains varied and appealing.

The café provides a valuable ‘eating out’ experience for pupils providing them an opportunity to have a treat and socialise with their peers. Pupils also enjoy seeing and interacting with pupils from other classes.

The cost of Parkview café is 50p per pupil. Each class pays for their own visit using the money received for snack and curriculum enrichment each week. The money made in café is used to fund the catering.

In EEC1 pupils are given the opportunity to work in Parkview Café. The running of the café is adapted each year to meet the needs and interests of the pupils. Each pupil is thus able to apply their literacy and numeracy skills to carry out a number of different jobs.

This year EEC1 pupils have shown a keen interest in learning about different countries and cultures. This concept has been incorporated into the café creating our current ‘World Culture Café.’ Pupils learn facts about a country and explore each nation’s different cuisines in class. They then decide upon their favourite foods to create a special menu. This year so far we have had a French Day in café setting the scene by transforming the look with French themed décor. The ambience of a chic Parisian café was created with authentic French café music. Pupils are currently learning about China and our Chinese themed café will follow soon! The café successfully creates not only a productive, but a fun working environment where pupils are able to develop their skills in Education for Employability. Pupils work in a number of different jobs throughout the school year. These are as follows.



Pupils learn how to appropriately greet customers, open the door for them, make sure tables are prepared and direct them where to sit.


Pupils are required to ask the appropriate questions ton customers to obtain the information required to write out the receipts. The cashier initially fills out a large laminated receipt and uses the information alongside a till and money chart to find out the total cost for each class. They then take the money and sort the notes and coins into the float. The cashier is then supported by staff to locate the correct coins to give change if required. The information from the large receipt is copied onto 2 paper receipts. These are then stamped with the correct date. One receipt is given to the customer and the other receipt is kept in the money float as a record. This job skill also provides pupils with an opportunity to practice their coin recognition skills and addition skills with a member of staff. As this job skill has a number of elements it is shared between 2 pupils each week.

 Food Waiter/Waitress

This job requires pupils to collect the correct order sheet for the table they are taking the order for. They then ask each customer at the table what they would like to eat and drink and record their responses accordingly. The order forms are handed to the kitchen for the food and drinks to be prepared. Once the food and drink is ready to go out to customers, the waiter/waitress is required to take the trays to the correct table and hand it out to the customers. When the customers leave, the waiter/waitress helps to clear and wipe down the tables and wash the dishes. The job is shared out between 2 pupils.


Food Chef

This job involves looking at the food orders and preparing the correct number of food items for each table. A range of food is prepared at the café and the menus are regularly changed to provide variety. Options include toast, pancakes, strawberry mousse with grapes, custard with banana and plain biscuits. Once the food is prepared, the food chef passes the food chef the food items to the food prep.


 Food prep

The job of the food prep is to place the correct number of food items onto a tray using the food order. Next the correct number of napkins are placed on the tray with the correct table number. The food prep then hands the trays of food a waiter/waitress to be taken out to the customers.

Drinks prep 

The drinks prep makes up the drinks and then pours them into the allocated cups. When the orders come into the kitchen, the drinks prep places the correct number of each drink along with a table number onto a tray according to the details of the order. The tray of drinks is then given to the drinks waiter.

Drinks Waiter/Waitress 

This involves taking the trays of drinks to the correct tables and handing them out to the customers. The drinks waiter helps the food waiter/waitress take orders for tables when required. The drinks waiter also helps to clear tables and wash the dishes.



Pupils work out the weekly finances. They input the details of each class and the money taken. They also work how much money has been made. Once the spreadsheet has been completed pupils print and file the spreadsheet. This job is rotated each week.