The IndependentSchool Food Plan

Professional Standards for the School Food Workforce Launched at LACA Main Event

National chair, Carrieanne Bishop, launched the Professional Standards for the School Food Workforce in front of 350 delegates drawn from across the school meals industry on 9^th July 2015, at the LACA Main Event conference and exhibition.

There are over 80,000 people working in school food – making it a bigger workforce than the Royal Navy –and between them they feed 4.6 million children a day.

The School Food Plan recognised that the workforce faces a tall order: how to serve good quality, healthy meals that can compete with the high street, all on a tight budget and timescales each day. One of the actions in the School Food Plan is to set up a Workforce Development Group to “create a set of commonly-accepted professional standards, detailing, by levels of required competence or responsibility, what skills should be expected of school catering staff in different positions”.

Over the last year, this group, (led by the Lead Association for CAtering in Education – LACA, and made up of chefs, caterers, industry managers, unions, head teachers and campaigners), have worked tirelessly with school cooks, caterers and People 1^st, (the hospitality skills sector body) to develop the professional standards.

The professional standards have been developed for a range of job roles, all who obviously play a crucial role in delivering school food, both back and front of house:

• Head of kitchen (Catering Manager / Head Chef)

• School Cook

• Assistant Cook

• General Kitchen / Catering Assistant

• Midday Supervisor

The full five standards and FAQs are available to download on the LACA website

 Email info@schoolfoodplan.com to find out more and to share your thoughts about how you will be using the new standards.

‘’LACA are very proud to have led on the development of the Professional Standards for the School Workforce as one of the actions of the School Food Plan. We believe they will support schools and catering providers to clearly define the roles within their catering teams. In turn we envisage this will raise the profile of the School food workforce amongst the wider catering industry, and as a result staff will feel more valued and respected amongst their peers.

LACA recognises that there is a raft of exceptional dedicated and skilled staff in schools across the UK, feeding the next generation, and the standards will ensure that they get the recognition they deserve.’’

Carrieanne Bishop, LACA Chair

‘The School Food workforce has a range of skills that many in the industry envy. These Professional Standards, tested and scrutinised by our incredible workforce, have the opportunity to be a game changer. They will raise standards and ensure the rest of the catering sector can see the amazing jobs being done in our school kitchens and dining halls every day’

John Vincent

‘The workforce development standards are the first step to the school meals catering service being recognised for the invaluable work that they do. I hope that these standards will raise morale and our status within the hospitality industry. Bringing together both the midday supervisors and the catering team is an integral part of good school food and a pleasant dining room. I would like to thank all the workforce development group and the School Food Plan for making this possible.’

Jeanette Orrey, MBE

“UNISON is delighted to support professional standards for the school food workforce. They reflect the broad knowledge and skill-set needed in the delivery of quality food to children and young people. We hope that they will lead to training opportunities, career development and recognition of a job well-done”.  

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON public services union

School Food Plan Publishes New Guidance to support creating a culture of healthy eating

Ofsted’s new Common Inspection Framework includes a judgment on personal development, behaviour and welfare. As part of reaching this judgment, inspectors will look at the extent to which schools are successfully supporting pupils to gain “knowledge of how to keep themselves
healthy” and “evidence of a culture or ethos of exercise and healthy eating” throughout their entire inspection (see www.schoolfoodplan.com/ofsted).

The School Food Plan has produced practical guidance to help school leaders and governing bodies adopt a whole school approach to food and create a culture and ethos of healthy eating.

It is designed to be used alongside other School Food Plan resources including the Headteacher Checklist and What Works Well website.

Download here: