Parents are reporting that their children felt ill and suffered food poisoning following their school Christmas lunch.

Pupils at the senior site of King James Academy in Royston were served Christmas lunch on Tuesday, December 13, which was provided by catering company Aspens.

Several parents reported their children becoming ill after eating the meal, with claims that the meat was undercooked and the potatoes were frozen in the middle.

One mum, who has a daughter in Year 11 and a daughter in Year 9, said that both her children suffered from food poisoning after the lunch.

She said: "My daughter texted me and said 'Mum the chicken's raw'. She sent me photos.

"I said 'please don't tell me you ate that chicken, or the sausages in blankets, or the stuffing', and she said she had.

Royston Crow: The meat served at the Christmas lunch at King James Academy in RoystonThe meat served at the Christmas lunch at King James Academy in Royston (Image: Supplied)

"That chicken wasn't cooked in any way. Teachers had complained about it.

"When my eldest daughter in Year 11 came home she was sick and it had blood in it. I called the GP surgery and explained the situation, and they said it sounds like the start of bacterial food poisoning."

The Year 11 pupil was given antibiotics, and the next day was still being sick and suffering from stomach cramps. She was not well enough to return to school until Monday.

Her sister in Year 9 felt sick and had stomach cramps, but was not as ill as her older sister.

The mum, who wished to remain anonymous, added: "We received an email from the school saying they were happy with the food and the presentation.

"Aspens have offered a refund but there's been no accountability.

"My children won't even eat chicken now."

Aspens said they "unreservedly apologise", and will provide a full refund to all pupils who had the Christmas lunch, as well as offering parents free tasting sessions from their menu in the new year.

Headteacher Lisa Plowman said: "While we were grateful to have received some supportive communication from parents/carers, pupils on the day, who enjoyed their Christmas lunch, this year’s meal was met with mixed reviews. 

"We do our best to provide hundreds of school meals daily. It comes as no surprise that rising costs have presented multiple challenges for the school and families.

"This year, our caterers were asked to provide a nutritious meal at a reduced cost –  45 pence cheaper for secondary aged pupils and 78 pence for primary aged pupils when compared with last year.

"I’m all too aware that household budgets have also been squeezed this year, and I can only apologise to families who dug deep and were disappointed with the quality of the meal produced. 

"We endeavour to ensure some changes in the New Year in view of these challenges."

A GoFundMe has been set up for chef Damian Wawrzyniak to provide a new Christmas dinner for pupils and staff.

Ms Plowman added: "The GoFundMe Christmas lunch is an initiative that shows the strength of feeling in our local community - it is wonderful to be part of a community that cares deeply about young people’s experiences. It should be noted that this page is not directly linked with our school. 

"However, this situation has inspired our school’s 2023 vision to build on the excellent work our Food and Nutrition teacher has done with pupils and children this year across the key stages to make some amazing and nutritious products this year."

To donate go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/give-the-kids-a-real-xmas-dinner.