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Southwark School Meals Transformation Programme

 School Meals Grant Conditions

Nursery schools

Free Healthy Nursery Meals Conditions of Grant 

  1. The additional breakfast payment should be spent on providing a nursery breakfast. If this is not feasible because of attendance patterns, the grant can be used to contribute towards a healthy meal or snack provision across the day. 

  2. All nursery meals and snacks provided must meet the requirements of the Eat Better, Start Better guidance. 

  3. Nurseries and schools must pay all directly employed catering staff the London Living Wage. For nurseries and schools currently using a third party catering provider, the provider must be instructed to pay the London Living Wage to all employees working on the contract at the earliest opportunity allowed by the contractual terms and conditions. 

  4. Nurseries, schools and their catering provider must participate in all evaluations or reviews of the Free Healthy Nursery Meals provision, when requested. 

Primary schools

  1. Schools to submit take-up rates for Key Stage 2 twice a year (at the same time as reporting Key Stage 1 for census day).

  2. The grant is only payable to schools if they participate in the Free Healthy School Meals programme and provide school meals, free of charge, to Non-Eligible Free School Meals pupils within Key Stage 2.

  3. The grant must be spent on provision of school lunch.

  4. All school lunches provided must meet the requirements of the National School Food Standards.

  5. Schools must meet the requirements of Southwark Council’s healthy dessert policy.

  6. Schools must meet the requirements of Southwark Council’s water only primary school policy.

  7. Schools must pay all directly employed catering staff the London Living Wage. For schools currently using a third party catering provider, the provider must be instructed to pay the London Living Wage to all employees working on the contract at the earliest opportunity allowed by the contractual terms and conditions.

  8. Furthermore, when going out to tender for a school meals catering provider, any new provider must adhere to the following requirements: the provider must, to all employees working on this contract, pay the London Living wage, as a minimum; all new employees, hired by the provider, to work on this contract must be paid London Living wage, as a minimum.

  9. School and their catering provider must participate in all evaluations or reviews of the Free Healthy School Meals provision, when requested.

Secondary schools

Condition 

Rationale and further detail 

The funding is for lunchtime service only 

The nutritional quality of food served at morning and afternoon break is generally poor across secondary schools. 

 

Lunch must be sold as a ‘healthy meal bundle’ 

 

  • At least two portions of fruit, vegetables or salad every day (portion = 80g) ·  

  • At least three portions of lean protein per week, including pulses, eggs, meat and beans (portion = 120g) ·  

  • No more than two fried portions of food per week ·  

  • No more than two portions of pastry per week ·  

  • No more than two portions of processed meat or meat substitute per week (as applies across the whole school day) ·  

  • Only provide either still water, 100% fruit juice (max 150ml), fruit or vegetable juice with still water, or combinations of fruit juice and lower fat milk or plain yoghurt, plain soya, rice or oat drinks enriched with calcium; cocoa and lower fat milk; flavoured lower fat milk, all with less than 5% added sugars or honey.  

  • Drinking water must be freely available · Provide 500-700 kcal per meal (a chef guide nutritional analysis is not required) · 

 

A cashless payment system must be used 

 

Pupils taking a meal must not be identifiable in dining hall or at service points. 

 

Report monthly meal uptake once per term 

Costs reimbursed termly: half in arrears, half estimated in advance. Payment made November, March, June or similar. 

 

Contribute to the evaluation of the offer 

Provide meal take up and catering sales data to help demonstrate best value for money. Participate in infrequent qualitative evaluation workshops. 

 

Make efforts to maximise benefits related FSM take up 

 

Increasing take up across the borough.