Management Information Sheet

Universal Infant Free School Meals - Implementation Update

Background and Information

• Schools are responsible for meeting the statutory duty by September 2014.
• Local Authorities have received capital funding to enhance facilities in VC and Community Schools where necessary to meet the duty. There is a separate allocation for VA schools. In total Norfolk's allocation is £1.939m, including VA schools.
• Norse Commercial Services has been commissioned by NCC to assess essential need across the County and propose a prioritised programme of works within the NCC funding envelope.

VC (Voluntary Controlled) and Community Schools

• Essential needs have now been identified and notified to schools

VA (Voluntary Aided) Schools

• The implementation arrangements for VA schools are not NCC's responsibility but we are working in partnership with the Diocesan authorities and giving all the support we can.
• Governors of VA schools are required to provide 10% of the capital cost.

Academies

• LAs are not responsible for premises matters, and have been given no capital funding, for funding work at academies except where VC and Community Schools are supplied from the kitchen of an academy.
• Academies will have to make a bid to the Academies Maintenance Fund for capital support if they have not already done so..

Progress so far…
All needs assessments are complete and so are the initial engineer's visits to assess gas and electrical works. This has highlighted the need for some schools to have an upgrade of either canopies or electrics - assessment and remediation work continue. Equipment is arriving at the Norse offices every day and installations are booked in on a rolling programme with initial installations already started where possible. PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU DO NOT TURN ANY EQUIPMENT AWAY!

As each school's work is confirmed, Norse is emailing that school with a full list of what exactly has been agreed and ordered. Every school has also been sent a copy of the needs assessment as a guide as to what has been identified as being required (although not necessarily authorised as "essential"). Academies will have their needs assessment fully costed and will receive a copy of all information in order for them to make their own decisions.

Contact Details and Useful Links
The delivery of the school meals entitlement is more than an upgrade of facilities. In order to help you achieve success for this project, please see below the following links which you may find useful.

• School Food Plan
• Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA)
• Children's Food Trust
• Please find attached to this MI sheet, links to other useful documents.

If you have any questions or queries regarding your UIFSM site visit or anything else, please do not hesitate to get in touch, as follows:

Linda Edwards - Norse - 01603 894285 or Email
Jamie Webb - NCC - 01603 222990 or Email

Academies which require further information on implementation and/or funding should contact the Education Funding Agency via Email