The foundations for lifelong healthy living are laid at school, says a passionate headteacher.

And learning about positive relationships with food is crucial in an age where children are beckoned with temptation at every turn and obesity is a clear and present danger.

It may seem like an uphill battle, but at Rimrose Hope Church of England Primary School in Liverpool the results are encouraging.

Lawrence Crilly said: “We prefer to point children in the right direction, giving them opportunities to try things they like, while emphasizing that one choice is better for them than another. Children are more likely to carry these habits into adulthood, which can reduce the risk of chronic disease later in life.”

Children at the school, which has 349 pupils aged between 2 and 11, are among 140,000 primary and secondary schools across the UK who eat at least one piece of fresh fruit or vegetables a day, thanks to Tesco’s Fruit & Veg for Schools.

The retail giant’s £4m scheme has identified 400 schools in some of the most deprived areas with the aim of giving children access to fresh and nutritious produce. It was launched last month by celebrity chef Poppy O’Toole in partnership with the Daily Express.

The funding allocated to each school is proportional to the number of pupils it has, varying between £4,000 and £21,000 annually.

They each receive a pre-paid card which allows them to visit their nearest Tesco store whenever they like to load up on mountains of fruit and veg to prepare both in and out of the classroom.

Exceptionally rated Rimrose Hope has 173 pupils – or 55.8% of its intake – eligible for free school meals.

Mr Crilly said: “We have certainly seen the impact poor nutrition can have on children’s performance and attention in the classroom. When students don’t eat well, whether they skip meals or don’t get the right balance of nutrients, it shows in their behavior and ability to focus.

“For example, children who come to school without eating breakfast often struggle to stay focused, especially during morning classes. They may appear lethargic or easily distracted, and their ability to focus for long periods of time diminishes. We have noticed that these students are also more likely to complain of headaches or stomachaches, which can disrupt their learning. Their education can be affected simply by the disruption caused by having to go find something to eat and the time it takes to eat it.

“Not eating well can also affect their mood. Some students may become irritable or restless, making it harder for them to participate in group activities or follow instructions. Over time, I have seen how it can lead to gaps in their understanding of the material because they are not fully engaged.

“Good nutrition fuels the brain, and when students lack this fuel, it’s clear how they perform academically and socially. When we talk to parents and staff about it and work together to make sure the kids are eating better, and often their attention and performance in the classroom improves dramatically.”

Rimrose Hope, founded in September 2008, has made it its mission to teach students the importance of eating fruits and vegetables over sugary foods in hopes of preparing them for a healthy future.

It gives young children and infants a healthy snack option and has seen huge improvements in concentration, memory and school performance.

The school has an orchard so children can learn about growing fruit and their own kitchen. Offer fruit and vegetables and salad at every meal as an extra option, with teachers noticing how children will choose healthy options if available.

She runs Good Grub, an after-school club that teaches kids how to cook and prepare healthy food at home, and introduces healthy eating through activities like cooking classes where kids get hands-on experience preparing simple, nutritious meals or smoothies .

However, despite the daily battles, there is hope and Tesco’s Fruit & Veg for Schools initiative could yet prove decisive.

Mr Crilly said: “Unfortunately, too many of our children suffer from problems associated with childhood obesity by the time they reach Year 6 and we believe the causes need to be addressed very early in a child’s school life. We would like to have the opportunity to combat the elements of risk associated with a high sugar diet by providing real alternatives to students so that they are more inclined to choose the healthy option rather than the less healthy option.

“A number of our children arrive at school eating bars and snacks that are very high in sugar, and these snacks often lead to energy drops, making it harder for children to focus in class.

“Kids will be flexible and experimental if given a choice, so we’re trying to build good habits that last a lifetime.

“We believe that the more children understand why and how fruits and vegetables help them stay healthy now and help them stay healthy in the future, compared to the poor nutritional value of sugary snacks, the more likely they will to make positive choices. The goal is to create lifelong habits for healthy living.

“I’m really excited about the project. We have long believed that families will make better choices if they are available to them, and this project will provide an opportunity to test that theory.

“My kids love to choose fruits and vegetables for lunch and will definitely eat them at recess. I would hope to see in time how very young children who go to school can develop the habit of healthy eating. The scheme can allow us to share fruit and vegetables with our hard-pressed families. It can allow us to be versatile with it in our after-school clubs and across the curriculum, and we may be able to reduce the horrendous obesity statistics that have remained stubbornly high for as long as we’ve been open as a school in this area.”