Criteria and guidance
How to achieve the Silver and Gold awards.Download the full list of award criteria and guidance – including examples of schools who are already transforming their food culture.
Gold award
Food leadership and school food culture
- Our pupils all have the opportunity to sit down to lunch every day.
- Our take up of school meals is over 60% OR has increased by more than 20% since we enrolled with the Food for Life Partnership.
- We are working with our caterer to reduce and manage food waste.
Food quality and provenance (delivered in partnership with our caterer)
- We make sure at least 30% of the ingredients we use are from a certified organic or MSC-certified source.
- We source at least 50% of our ingredients locally.
- We make sure that certified organic meat, dairy products or eggs feature on our menu as animal welfare best practice.
- We are taking steps to increase the take up of non-meat dishes and to promote a balanced, sustainable diet.
Food education
- We are committed to providing a minimum of 12 hours of cooking lessons a year by 2011 for all our pupils up to and including key stage 3.
- All our pupils have the opportunity to participate in organic food growing during their time at our school.
- We actively involve our pupils in planning the food growing calendar and maintaining the growing area using organic practices.
- Our pupils have the opportunity to take part in a programme of farm-based activities throughout the farming year.
Community and partnerships
- Our parents and/or the wider community are actively involved in growing and cooking activities in our school.
- Our parents can buy or collect organic and/or local produce at our school, or we direct them to alternative local outlets.
- Food and cooking education is available in our school to parents and community members out of school hours.
- We host regular visits about the Food for Life Partnership from other schools and stakeholders.