8R Visit to the Grains Bar Hotel, Oldham

This week, 8R visited the Grains Bar Hotel in Oldham and had a fantastic experience developing their employability and customer service skills.

Throughout the day, the students worked hard to prepare the restaurant for service. They swept the floor, cleaned the tables, and carefully set them ready for customers. They then helped to serve a three-course meal to 36 paying customers in the restaurant.

The students demonstrated excellent customer service skills by taking drinks orders, collecting drinks from the bar, checking that customers were enjoying their meals, and ensuring that any additional drinks were provided when needed. Once the meal service was complete, they cleared and tidied all of the tables efficiently.

The pupils communicated superbly with customers throughout the day and received excellent feedback for their professionalism, politeness, and enthusiasm. They followed instructions well, taking direction from both the Grains Bar Hotel staff and owner, as well as school staff.

The visit provided a valuable learning experience, helping students to develop new skills and increase their confidence. They gained a great deal from the day and should be extremely proud of their achievements and the positive impression they made on everyone they met.

This resulted in some fabulous feedback from some of the customers:

To Samuel Laycock School

Today, along with five others, we visited the Grains Bar Hotel, Moorside, Oldham for lunch. We were welcomed on entering the hotel by pupils of Samuel Laycock school.

The welcoming smiles and courteous approach by the pupils was positively heart warming on arrival. The pupil(s) that were allocated to our table were extremely engaging. Pupils were willing to engage with diners whilst taking orders. Ordering was taken very seriously and though orders were a little complex for a table of six everything ordered arrived exactly as it should. The attention to detail was noticeable as well as the joy projected to all tables. Looking around the room it was also noticeable that warmth was projected by pupils to all present. Their attention to detail was outstanding. We

could see that pupils were given instructions both by school staff and the hotel owner. Pupils accepted the instructions, clearly demonstrating the ability to do so. We were continually asked throughout the meal if everything was ok and if we needed anything. Pupils' attitude was outstanding and the whole experience reflects well on the school. Pupils were well supervised by school staff who offered help and guidance where appropriate.

The pupil attending to our table told us how much she was enjoying the work and wished to do something similar when she left school. What a wonderful opportunity this was for this young lady, giving insight into the catering business and valuable experience. The pupils obviously enjoyed the experience and certainly made it enjoyable for us.

Thank you to pupils and staff for turning an ordinary lunchtime into something very special.

Thank you Samuel Laycock school

Best wishes

Janice, John, Sheila, Barbara, Kay and James