Run by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Department for Education, the pilot aims to design and test a new approach in supporting schools with complying with their School Food Standards.
As part of the pilot, local food safety officers will be able to raise instances of non-compliance with School Food Standards when carrying out regular hygiene inspections in schools. This research will help inform the role the council could play in assuring compliance with the standards so that the food served in the city’s schools delivers the best possible health outcomes for children.
Environmental Health Officers from the council have already started doing assessments as part of their routine rood hygiene inspections in school kitchens and will continue to do so for the duration of the pilot.
Councillor Steve Evans, Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, said: “We welcome this pilot. School food is more important than ever, and we want to make sure we are supporting schools in Wolverhampton in the best way we can to comply with School Food Standards.
“This pilot will help us further explore how we can give our children the best start in life, ensuring nutritious food is available to help them grow, develop and learn.”
Professor Susan Jebb, FSA Chair, added: “Schools play a crucial role in providing children with healthy food to help them concentrate and thrive in the classroom and beyond. We all want to ensure that the food served in schools meets the standards that have been set.
“This project will give insight into what’s happening in schools today, identify whether additional support is needed to help them to do the very best they can for children, and drive positive change in the school food system.”
