A caterer serving pupils at a Swindon primary school has been slapped with a zero rating for food hygiene.

Caterlink, which operates at Gorse Hill Primary School in Avening Road, was handed the lowest possible score after being inspected on Wednesday, October 11.

The school is attended by more than 400 pupils.

Swindon Borough Council’s Environmental Health team found the facilities to require immediate and urgent improvement in a damning report.

Inspectors on the day found that the Gorse Hill canteen’s hygienic food handling needed major improvement.

Swindon Advertiser: Gorse Hill Primary School's catering was deemed to require urgent improvement.Gorse Hill Primary School's catering was deemed to require urgent improvement. (Image: Dave Cox)

This refers to the hygienic handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage.

Caterlink’s management of food safety also was deemed to be in urgent requirement of major improvement.Swindon Advertiser: The school is catered by Caterlink.The school is catered by Caterlink. (Image: Dave Cox)

This refers to having a system or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat.

It also covers whether there is evidence that staff know about food safety and that the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future.

The cleanliness and condition of facilities and building also need major improvement.

This section refers to having the appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control to enable good food hygiene.

Caterlink provides meals to school children across the country and, on its website, promises to "deliver a first-class catering and hospitality service to our clients in the education sector."

The Adver has approached both Caterlink and Gorse Hill Primary School for comment.