Academies urged to commit to healthy meals

Released 19/12/2011

The School Food Trust is to ask all academy schools to state their commitment to serving healthy school food

Primary schoolchildren are eating more fruit and veg now than in 2005

Academies will be asked by the School Food Trust to state their commitment to providing healthy food for their children by posting it on the watchdog's website.

The trust will be writing to all academies in the New Year asking them to confirm their commitment to meeting the national standards for healthy school meals, and will publish a list of all academies committing to meet the standards at www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk.

Currently, academy schools are not required to follow legislation which ensures that food provided in schools is nutritionally-balanced.

The School Food Trust's letter is part of a larger initiative to give the Department for Education an accurate picture of how the policy may impact the food being offered to children.

In her letter to schools, chief executive Judy Hargadon will state: "You may be aware of recent questions raised by Jamie Oliver and other campaigners about the commitment of academies to the National School Food Standards.

"Secretary of state for education, Michael Gove has said that ‘we have no reason to believe that academies will not provide healthy, balanced meals that meet the current nutritional standards,' but at the moment there isn't a clear picture across the board.

"Having worked with many academies over the years and as the government's specialist advisor on school food issues, we're seeking to clarify the current situation."

School Food Trust research shows that the national school food standards, which were phased into operation for all maintained schools from 2006, have made a significant difference to the food that children are being offered at primary school, in particular.

Primary schoolchildren are eating more portions of fruit and vegetables as part of their meal and the average primary school meal is lower in fat, sugar and salt than it was in 2005.

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