Parents of Raglan VC Primary pupils have voiced their concerns over the closure of the school's kitchen.

The kitchen is due to close after Easter, after restoration was deemed as not cost-effective by Monmouthshire County Council.

Children will instead have their meals cooked at and shipped in from Deri View Primary in Abergavenny.

Parent Kirstie Pope said: "I am extremely disappointed there was no consultation with parents and shocked that so little notice has been given.

"I was also surprised that such important information should arrive unheralded in a short letter in my daughter's school bag.

"I have read many of the emails that have been written about the proposed closure and would appreciate being able to see some detailed information on costs."

Kirstie, who is concerned about the safety and nutritional content on the meals, is also worried that the closing of the kitchen would be a backwards step in the drive to educate the younger generations about consuming food that has been sourced using sustainable practices.

She said: "The school runs an after school cookery club which is extremely popular.

"The pupils grow vegetables and these are used in the school kitchen and brought home.

"This is a school community committed to educating young people about food; how the way they eat impacts on their health and the environment.

"These practices should be encouraged and built on now and nurtured and when the new school is built the facility to develop the children's skills to produce and cook their own food should be enhanced.

"Having a school kitchen is part of this good practice.

"The message the council is sending is that either their food is not that good and hence it doesn't matter how it is delivered, or that the food is adequate, but not an important issue."

Another Parent Lisa Tebbutt said: "I want to know why we have been given so little notice, or any opportunity to help raise funds to save the kitchen.

"I am very concerned about how the council propose to keep the food warm and, apart from the negative effect this will have on nutrition levels and taste, what increased risk is there of the spread of bacteria

"It seems to be a very short-sighted move on behalf of the council and not really in-line with current thinking on improving childrens' school lunches and keeping them connected to where the food they eat comes from.

"It is upsetting for the children to know their cook is out of a job, especially when this could be avoided."