The IndependentSchool Food Plan

Norwich schools help shape plan for better school food

Teachers, parents and school cooks from across Norwich joined forces on Friday 15 March to help shape the future of school food in England. The latest school food event was hosted at Ormiston Victory Academy and teachers, school cooks and parents were invited to discuss the benefits of children eating healthily, share their experiences of school food and tell the school food planners Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent what they would like to improve.

Rachel de Souza, the Victory Principal, said:

We are passionate about ensuring our students enjoy a healthy diet and plenty of exercise.

We go the extra mile at Horatio’s café to make the freshest food available with the minimum of food miles while we involve students in menu selection to give them ownership. One of our most popular innovations are the special food days at Horatio’s – Chinese New Year, Australia Day, St George’s Day and so on. We educate our students about their world through food.

UIFSM: Getting the right kitchen

Ideas and advice compiled from the universal free school meal (UFSM) pilots and other local authorities, which have already implemented UFSM.

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Establishing a new school kitchen is a specialist job.

Some issues to consider if converting an existing space or expanding an existing kitchen:

• Is this area big enough to be converted into a kitchen, at least 6m x 3m?
• Are the floors non-slip kitchen standard?
• Are the walls food-safe and able to be wiped clean?
• Could an extraction canopy be fitted and adequate ventilation ensured?
• Does this area link easily to the school dining room?
• Is there adequate mechanical and electrical services capacity for the new kitchen?

A kitchen audit is a specialist job.

Your local authority, caterers, or catering equipment supplier should be able to put you in contact with someone who can help. Five areas to consider as part of an equipment and kitchen audit:

1. Kitchen refurbishments and extensions or developments- changes to cooking, serving, storage space
2. Large kitchen equipment – to cover storage (fridges) and improved cooking efficiency (combi-ovens), dishwashers, prep’ machines etc.
3. Additional serving trolleys and serveries – hot and cold cabinets, hot plates etc.
4. Small kitchen items including light equipment, cutlery, plates, bowls etc.
5. Safety and regulation – any need to up-grade electric circuit boards or increase ventilation

Further information:

• Your local authority may have a framework contract in place for kitchen equipment, so would be a good first point of call.
• Contact the government-funded UIFSM implementation support service by email at info@childrensfoodtrust.org.uk ; by phone at 0800 680 0080 ; or online at www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/schoolfoodplan
• PKL Group (UK), who are members of the School Food Plan Small Schools Taskforce, have a useful website on kitchen design: http://www.schoolkitchens.com
  • Model Primary Kitchen for 210 Pupils
  • Model Primary Kitchen for 420 Pupils
  • Model Primary Kitchen for 600 Pupils
  • Schools could also contact members of the Catering Equipment Distribution Association (http://ceda.co.uk)

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UFSM Registration Forms

View example registration forms for capturing data on existing free school meal eligible pupils, from different local authorities which have already introduced universal free school meals for primary pupils:

Southwark

Islington

Newham

Other related case studies:

Brighton & Hove

UIFSM Getting Started – For Caterers

School Food Working Group