Management Information Sheet
Food in Schools - Mandatory Standards and Schools' Responsibility
What does this mean?
All food provided in, or for, schools across the school day, up to 6pm, has to comply with these legal requirements. This includes:
o School lunches
o Breakfast clubs
o Break time provision
o Vending machines
o After school clubs
These apply regardless of who runs the provision within school.
Residential visits are also covered, if the school provides the food, or the residential centre is Local Authority run.
NB Many of these food-based standards apply across all provision so the menus must comply with one another. For example if sausages are on the breakfast menu they cannot be on the lunchtime menu as meat products are restricted in the number of times they are allowed across the school day.
What isn't included?
o Packed lunches brought from home
o One-off events
o Fundraising and charity events
o Food used in cookery classes and clubs, unless it is offered as part of a school lunch
What is the school's responsibility?
Governors with delegated budgets have the responsibility for ensuring the food-based standards are being met within their school.
In addition with effect from 2007 governors have a legal duty to promote the wellbeing of pupils in their schools and ensuring that these standards are being met gives some evidence that they are discharging that duty.
Will there be more standards?
From September 2008 for primary schools, and September 2009 for secondary schools, the current food-based standards for school lunches will be replaced by nutrient-based standards. We recommend that primary schools, especially ones who are doing their own catering should start working towards meeting them as soon as possible.
What can you do now?
Ensure that all providers of food in your schools are aware of these standards and are working to meet them.
Locally, you can get further information and support on all aspects of healthy eating in schools, from the Transforming School Food in Norfolk team. Please contact Sue Astbury by email or telephone 01603 307196. The School Food Trust, the independent organisation set up to oversee the implementation of these standards, has further guidance on its website. You can also download the booklets giving details of these standards.
Governing body of schools may find it helpful to have a designated governor who can work with the caterer to ensure these standards are met.
All food provided in, or for, schools across the school day, up to 6pm, has to comply with these legal requirements. This includes:
o School lunches
o Breakfast clubs
o Break time provision
o Vending machines
o After school clubs
These apply regardless of who runs the provision within school.
Residential visits are also covered, if the school provides the food, or the residential centre is Local Authority run.
NB Many of these food-based standards apply across all provision so the menus must comply with one another. For example if sausages are on the breakfast menu they cannot be on the lunchtime menu as meat products are restricted in the number of times they are allowed across the school day.
What isn't included?
o Packed lunches brought from home
o One-off events
o Fundraising and charity events
o Food used in cookery classes and clubs, unless it is offered as part of a school lunch
What is the school's responsibility?
Governors with delegated budgets have the responsibility for ensuring the food-based standards are being met within their school.
In addition with effect from 2007 governors have a legal duty to promote the wellbeing of pupils in their schools and ensuring that these standards are being met gives some evidence that they are discharging that duty.
Will there be more standards?
From September 2008 for primary schools, and September 2009 for secondary schools, the current food-based standards for school lunches will be replaced by nutrient-based standards. We recommend that primary schools, especially ones who are doing their own catering should start working towards meeting them as soon as possible.
What can you do now?
Ensure that all providers of food in your schools are aware of these standards and are working to meet them.
Locally, you can get further information and support on all aspects of healthy eating in schools, from the Transforming School Food in Norfolk team. Please contact Sue Astbury by email or telephone 01603 307196. The School Food Trust, the independent organisation set up to oversee the implementation of these standards, has further guidance on its website. You can also download the booklets giving details of these standards.
Governing body of schools may find it helpful to have a designated governor who can work with the caterer to ensure these standards are met.