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.