BRIGHTON & HOVE FOOD IN SCHOOLS PROGRAMME
2010 -2013
WHAT IS THE PROGRAMME?
• A partnership programme to improve primary school lunch times.
WHY IS THE PROGRAMME IMPORTANT?
Lunchtime issues
Bullying
Inappropriate behaviour
Poor concentration
Unsafe environment
Disrupted afternoon
lessons
WHY ARE SOME LUNCHTIMES CHALLENGING?
Lunchtime environment
Long queues
Segregating packed lunches
Not enough time to eat
Not sitting with friends
Midday Supervisor attitudes
LUNCHTIME WILL BECOME A PRIORITY IN 2014
• Universal Free School MealsAll KS1 children will be entitled to FSM in September 2014.
• Ofsted judgementsOfsted will shortly be introducing new
guidelines which will ask inspectors to consider behaviour and culture in the dining room.
PROGRAMME STRATEGY
BHCC School Meals Team
Public Health
Recipe for Change
Eden
School Meal Provision
Performance Management
Behaviour & Safety
Increasing school meal uptake
Obesity Prevention
HOW THE PROGRAMME WORKS
Needs assessment
Lunchtime action plan
Systemic lunchtime changes
Pupil & Parent healthy eating
workshops
Evaluation
SUPPORTING OBESITY PREVENTION
NICE recommendations (2006) Relevant of this programme
1.1.5.1 Whole school approach for lifelong learning.
Strategy engages all school stakeholders in solution based consultation
1.1.5.2 Assess the whole school environment to help children maintain a healthy weight.
Creating a calm and relaxed lunchtime environment encourages children to eat their dinner and reduces food waste
1.1.5.3. Staff to receive training on how to implement healthy eating policies.
Midday Supervisors training on applying the behaviour policy is often part of the programme.
1.1.5.4 Establish links with relevant organisations
Programme actively involves caterers, BHCC school meals Team and Recipe for Change.
SUPPORTING OBESITY PREVENTION
NICE recommendations (2006) Relevant of this programme
1.1.5.5 Interventions should be sustained and address the whole school.
Combined resources and expertise of partners ensures intervention will be monitored and supported
1.1.5.6 Children should eat meals in a pleasant environment.
Aim of the programme is to create a lunchtime experience that encourages children to eat better and eat together.
1.1.5.7 Views of the children should be considered.
School council consultations to identify children’s views and opinions are an integral part of the programme.
1.1.5.8 Parents should be involved in school based interventions
Parent consultations are an integral part of the consultation programme.
SUMMARY OF OUTCOMES
Increased school meal uptake
MDSA motivation
Reduced food waste
Parental engagement
Improved behaviour
Improved concentration
MDSA professional development
CASE STUDY – BALFOUR KS2
Issues
• Packed lunches segregated.• Long queues.• Children not being able to find a seat.
Solution
• Children sit in friendship groups.• Children wait for each other before leaving.• Provision of more time to eat tables for slow eaters.
Outcomes
• Reduced queuing.• Happier children.• 45% more children drink water.
CASE STUDY – WEST BLATCHINGTON
Issues
• Separate sitting for school meal eaters.• No food provision for different ethnic origins.• Concern about school meal packed lunch.
Solution
• Provision of Halal option & Arabic menu.• School meal packed lunch replaced with Jacket Pot.• Packed lunches and school meals sit together.
Outcomes
• Improved parent engagement - Over 40 parents attended school meals tasters’.
• The best thing about this year is the changes to the school lunch – Y4 pupil comment.
KEY SUCCESS CRITERIA
The customer
Whole school approach
Head teacher
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES• PROMOTING THE SCHOOL MEAL BRAND
Food in Schools Programme needs to help ensure parents perceive the brand as value for money now the UFSM policy has been agreed for KS1. This is partly around marketing the quality of food and partly around marketing the quality of the customer journey.
• LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AT LUNCHTIMESome schools will face capacity issues and may have to consider extending the length of lunchtime. If this happens then lunchtime needs to incorporate some learning opportunities.
• DofE SCHOOL FOOD TAKE UP BIDDofE has released £11 million funding to help increase school meal uptake by 5% in 5,000 schools. Recipe for Change are planning to led a consortia of LA’s and caterers in the SE and London region to target 100 schools using the successful Food in Schools formula.