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However there is still a lack of effective partnership between DH and DfES which stems in part from the failure to recognise their particular roles and spheres of influence. While DH have the budgets and the high profile initiatives that big bucks can buy, it is DfES that sets policy and expectation,
and influences the criteria against which headteachers and governing bodies decide their priorities.
Too often, the underfunded, understaffed civil servants at DfES have struggled to play a robust part with their DH colleagues in the broad food and nutrition policy debate. Such an involvement is also hindered by the fractured nature of their own service – ‘school standards’ team (school food services among other issues) situated in Darlington, the curriculum team based in London. Yet if the government really wants food/ nutrition/ (exercise) addressed seriously and in a holistic fashion by schools, it is DfES and Education ministers who must set the policy agenda, and it is DH that can support and guide its implementation by skilful use of their more plentiful resources. So what should DfES do?
• Set a clear expectation that every school will have a policy on food and nutrition that links food service and curriculum messages and make it explicit that these policies should have pupil involvement at their heart.
• Set up a national structure for monitoring the implementation of minimum nutritional standards and require Ofsted to audit the existence of a clear school food policy as a regular part of their standard inspections.
With the government still using exam results as their only published measures of schools success, it is essential that the simple steps outlined above are taken to ensure that food and nutrition are given a higher priority than they presently carry. It is worth noting that these recommendations form a central plank of the excellent new Scottish Assembly report on food in schools – ‘Hungry for Success’.
Some progress towards these goals is being made and as we publish this newsletter, DfES is going to tender for national monitoring contracts with a particular emphasis on secondary schools, and Ofsted have signalled their intention to investigate the levels of primary school engagement in holistic approaches to food and nutrition policy. In addition an appointment has just been made to a post that will co-ordinate and deliver the much delayed ‘Food in Schools’ programme with a budget of £2,000,000 . ……..watch this space!!
Two other issues require government attention if local action is to have the best chances of influencing young people towards better balance in their diets:
• Advertising and sponsorship in schools – see the excellent article from The Food Commission inside this newsletter and join in the debate. You may have differing shades of opinion or approach to those argued in the article but I hope you will agree that there is a very serious problem here and one that needs confronting. When was the last time anyone saw fruit and vegetables advertised on prime time childrens TV? Do we really need to help manufacturers of crisps, soft drinks and confectionary market their products in our schools – their budgets already exceed many times over the total of all national health education budgets
for the UK!
• A universal minimum value for a free school meal(FSM) – it is quite absurd and equally unjust that a benefit such a FSM can have a variable value across the country, with differences as great as 30/40 pence a meal depending on where it is served and DfES should set a minimum universal value for a FSM which may be exceeded but not undercut. This needs to apply an increase from the present average of approximately £1.30/primary and £1.60/secondary to at least £1.60 and £2.00 respectively. This increase would nearly double the amount available to improve
the quality/quantity of the ingredients, most other costs being neutral. We must inject additional investment into the school meals service and the place to start is where there is clear evidence of poverty and disadvantage. Don’t lets talk of FSM’s for all, lets ensure a higher standard for those currently entitled to them so these meals are eaten and enjoyed – as of now 20% of children entitled to FSM’s chose not to eat them!
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