The Food Standards Agency, in partnership with the Department for Education and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, launched the School Food Standards Compliance Pilot in September 2022. The goal of the pilot was to test if FSOs could effectively carry out a School Food Standards check.
The pilot spanned 18 local authorities and was broken down into three phases, Discovery, Phase 1, and Phase 2. Phase 2 shows that food safety checks were overall straightforward for FSOs to conduct and that schools were willing to facilitate the checks. In some cases, the check triggered an internal review of the food service.
However, FSOs also faced barriers throughout the pilot. For example, there were inconsistencies in how officers addressed and reported instances of non-compliance. There were also barriers regarding following up with school officials after cases of non-compliance due to the school's lack of capacity. Finally, some local authorities reported not having the expertise to provide schools with the support needed post check.
As a result, the report recommended clearer communication about the check and follow-up with catering managers and suppliers about the results.
The report highlighted the importance of standardised processes to target the same outcomes and raise awareness of the School Food Standards legal obligations.
Overall, the findings underscore that with a few adjustments this approach would be effective, and local authorities are well placed to drive school food quality. This has been demonstrated through our Healthy Zones programme in Southwark and Tower Hamlets where schools are supported by a team of school food improvement officers.
We hope this pilot helps pave the way for quality school food across the country.
The full report can be found here.
