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Why was School FEAST set up?
The standard of school food is being transformed, as are school meals services.
In 2006, the government first launched new standards. First they were food-based and now, more detailed nutrient standards are in force for all primary and secondary schools. These standards require schools, local authorities or catering providers to ensure that an average school lunch – calculated across a one to four week menu cycle – meets specific standards for energy and contains certain levels of 13 nutrients, including iron, calcium and zinc.
Many school meals are now cooked from scratch using a wide range of healthy ingredients. School cooks around the country have risen to the challenge and the standard of school food is really improving but all those working to improve school meals must continue to, develop their skills and knowledge.
In September 2006, the government announced a package of measures to improve school food and tackle childhood obesity.
This package included a £2 million capital funding grant to establish a network of regional training kitchens as centres of excellence. These would provide readily accessible, high quality training for the school workforce.
The School Food Trust led the implementation of this proposal.
Since October 2006, the School Food Trust has:
- overseen the establishment of a national network of 29 centres and partnerships across every region in England
- with partners, developed minimum criteria for School FEAST and a core offer of training or qualifications each School FEAST centre and partnership has to provide
- worked closely with partners to ensure that the School FEAST network provides the highest possible quality and take-up of training by the school food workforce;
- established a pathfinder regional training centre at the Royal Agricultural College to test the criteria in a realistic setting and to advise on aspects of the business planning process
- established links between the work of the School FEAST programme and People 1st, the Sector Skills Council for Hospitality and Catering, and
- developed the Business Plan process. The process enabled interested organisations to become a School FEAST centre or partnership.
The School FEAST network, comprising 29 centres and partnerships across England, is providing training and support for thousands of professionals involved in providing school meals. Each course within the wide range School FEAST offers is tailored for cooks, caterers, lunchtime supervisors, employers and the wider workforce, such as school business managers and schools' senior leadership teams.
