SILVER criteria & guidance
Food Leadership
Food quality and provenance
(for delivery by the Caterer in partnership with the School)
Food education
Food culture and community involvement
Food Leadership
Governors have signed off a school food policy with a timetable for action.
One of the tasks of the School Nutrition Action Group (SNAG) or equivalent will be to work towards developing a whole school food policy. A truly whole school approach will include commitments relating to food leadership, food quality & provenance, food education and food culture & community involvement.
The policy outlines the commitment of the school to making food quality and education a central priority. A truly whole school approach will include commitments on food leadership, food quality & provenance, food education and food culture & community involvement. Ensuring full engagement by pupils, parents and carers, catering staff and the whole school community has proved to be the most effective way of making school health interventions that last. A whole school food policy is a shared, evolving document that ensures that healthy and sustainable eating messages are consistently championed through the example set by the school and the wider community. The support and involvement of Governors will send a clear signal about the priority being given to food issues in the school. School governing bodies can also be very effective in bringing the school together with parents to maximise support and involvement.
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Developing a food policy
(pdf, 171KB)
- Food in Schools website on whole school food policy
- Food Standards Agency - governors and whole school food policy
Lunchtime is given clear priority in the school day, and timetabling clashes are avoided.
Schools that give healthy eating the priority it deserves will ensure that timetabling safeguards time for all pupils to sit down to eat. Working lunches for members of school councils or committees may be an occasional solution.
It is important that schools set an example for young people in this fast-paced world, and encourage them to sit down to eat lunch for long enough to have an opportunity for social interaction and good digestion. Schools trying to juggle the demands of the curriculum and wide-ranging interests of pupils may decide that lunchtime is a good opportunity for scheduling extra-curricular activities and council meetings. However, if no alternative eating time is given, this can encourage young people to skip lunch or eat on the run, and creates the impression that lunch is an opt-out affair of low importance.
Take up of school meals by pupils registered for free school meals is 90% or higher.
Free school meal take-up should be measured as the average percentage of pupils registered for free school meals that are taking them over the current half-term or term.
It is important for all children to have good food at lunchtime in school to enable them to concentrate on learning in afternoon lessons. Some children do not always get a proper breakfast or dinner, and school lunches are critical in their growth and development. However, many children who are entitled to free school meals do not apply for them. One of the reasons for this is the perceived social stigma attached to claiming free school meals. In some cases, parents are simply not aware that they are entitled to claim. Action should therefore be taken to explain the entitlement widely and to reduce the stigma attached to claiming free school meals.
Key teachers or others have skills needed to lead gardening and cooking activities and ensure basic food hygiene.
We would expect the school to have undertaken a food skills audit to identify whether teachers or community members need training to enable them to lead cooking or growing activities in school with confidence. A training schedule should be in place to meet these needs.
By taking part in training, and having access to appropriate resources, teaching staff and others will feel more confident in leading growing and cooking programmes within the school day. The links below are a good place to start. With cooking in particular, it is always important to consider whether teachers or others possess the skills and knowledge to teach it safely and with confidence. Careful precautions and simple techniques can ensure that all cooking activities can be conducted safely, even in areas of most concern, such as knife skills. Refer to the online resources list at the back of this brochure for briefings that will help your school to conduct cooking activities safely, and to manage food safety and hygiene effectively when preparing, handling, cooking and storing food at school.
Cookingskills
- Training in teaching cooking
- Training in food hygiene - Institute of Environmental Health
- Focus on Food Campaign
Growing skills
- Garden Organic Teaching Zone – getting started
- National Curriculum links for organic gardening
- Gardening skills: Teacher’s guides
- Training courses at Garden Organic
- Royal Horticultural Society Continuous Professional Development courses
The school is working with parents to discourage unhealthy snacks or lunch box contents
We would expect schools to be actively seeking the support of parents for a healthy snack or lunch box campaign in the school. Unhealthy lunch boxes or brought-in snacks can undermine what the school is trying to achieve in transforming school food quality and culture.
More than half of UK school children take packed lunches to school, and all pupils will bring or buy snacks to consume outside mealtimes. Despite parents’ good intentions, a recent Food Standards Agency survey suggests that the majority of packed lunches would not meet the nutrient-based standards set for primary school meals. Nine out of ten children's school lunchboxes contain food that is too high in saturated fat, salt and sugar, according to the survey. One way to tackle this issue is to ask parents and pupils to suggest and agree shared principles for a healthy lunchbox. Schools could hold healthy lunchbox competitions and assemblies, or even practical workshops looking at affordability. Once a set of shared principles is agreed, this could also be applied to snacks and drinks provided by the school outside lunchtime.
- Food based standards for food other than lunches
- Food Standards Agency guidance on healthier packed lunches
- Food in Schools website link – healthier lunchboxes
Food quality and provenance
(for delivery by the Caterer in partnership with the School)
A range of locally sourced items is on the menu.
To comply, caterers will need to be serving items produced (or made with ingredient s produced) in the region or adjacent county from at least two of the following categories each week at any one time:
1. Fruit
2. Vegetables
3. Dairy
4. Meat (Sausages and burgers can be counted if the meat comes from named farms in the region or adjacent county)
5. Fish (Fish can be counted if it comes from day boats based in the region or adjacent county)
6. Bread (Bread can be counted if it is baked in the region or adjacent county)
These items should be highlighted as ‘local’ or ‘from [the region or county]’ on or under the menu , with the caveats ‘subject to availability’ or ‘when in season’. Be clear where an ingredient is local rather than a whole dish, for instance say ‘Shepherd’s pie with local lamb’ not ‘Local lamb shepherd’s pie’. You will probably need to have more than two different locally sourced items on the menu over the year to allow for supply interruptions when some items are not in season. Record any occasions when fewer than two local items are served each week due to a supply interruption – this is permitted only if the interruption is shorter than one month.
For practical guidance on sourcing local food, see our briefing below on how to source local and organic ingredients.
- Ashlyns Training Kitchen for School Cooks
- School FEAST Network - Food Excellence and Skills Training
A range of certified Organic or MSC-certified items is on the menu.
To comply, caterers will need to be serving certified Organic (or Marine Stewardship Council-certified in case of fish) items from at least two of the following categories on the menu each week at any one time:
1. Fruit
2. Vegetables
3. Dairy & eggs
4. Meat
5. Fish (Fish can be counted if it is organically farmed or Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified wild fish)
6. Bread
7. Dry goods
These items should be highlighted as Organic or MSC on or under the menu, with the caveats ‘subject to availability’ or ‘when in season’. Be clear where an ingredient is organic rather than a whole dish, for instance say ‘Fish pie with organic salmon’ not ‘Organic salmon fish pie’. You may need to have more than two Organic or MSC items on the menu over the year to allow for supply interruptions when items are not in season. Record any occasions when fewer than two local items are served each week due to a supply interruption – this is permitted only if the interruption is shorter than one month.
According to the Government, organic farming tends to deliver greater biodiversity, less pollution, less carbon dioxide emissions, better animal welfare and more local economic activity. The Sustainable Development Commission describes organic farming as the 'gold standard' for sustainable food.
For practical guidance on sourcing organic food, see our briefing below on how to source local and organic ingredients.
- Soil Association Organic Directory
- Soil Association Source Marketplace
- Marine Stewardship Council Fish & Kids
- Why organic?
- Genuinely Local: certificate of provenance
- Find your local producers
Poultry, eggs and pork are produced in line with standards set for the Freedom Food scheme as a welfare minimum.
Caterers may source eggs or chicken from ‘free range’ producers without Freedom Food certification and still comply. They may also source pork, bacon, ham and sausages from ‘outdoor-reared’ or ‘outdoor bred’ pigs without Freedom Food certification.
Freedom Food is an assurance scheme devised and monitored by the RSPCA, particularly intended to provide assurance of higher animal welfare standards. It is not the same as free range, as some indoor systems are allowed under the Freedom Food standards, though with higher standards (eg lower stocking densities) than under baseline farm assurance. For chicken meat or eggs to be called 'free-range', it must be produced to standards laid down by EU law, which specify that the chickens must be provided with access to open-air runs. However, there is no inspection requirement. We would encourage caterers to ask for the RSPCA’s Freedom Food certification to guarantee regular inspection.
For pigs, ‘free range’ has no legal basis. The majority of pigs in the UK are housed indoors, many on concrete. Farrowing crates used to confine the sow when she has piglets are widely considered to be of serious welfare concern for pigs. The RSPCA’s Freedom Food certification restricts the length of time the sow can be confined in a farrowing crate. In ‘outdoor bred’ systems, the sows will be kept outdoors and farrowing crates are not used. However, the piglets will generally be kept indoors to be reared for meat, so we would recommend also specifying a ‘straw-based system’ to ensure that piglets are housed on straw not concrete.
For further detailed guidance, see our briefing below on frequently asked questions on animal welfare assurance schemes.
No fish is served from the Marine Conservation Society ‘Fish to Avoid’ list
None of the fish served should appear on the Marine Conservation Society ‘Fish to Avoid’ list, available at www.fishonline.org. Fish to Avoid includes Atlantic cod, skate and haddock.
Overfishing has caused one-third of all fishing stocks worldwide to collapse, and scientists are warning that if current trends continue all fish stocks worldwide will collapse within fifty years. Many thousands of dolphins, turtles and albatross are also caught by large drift nets or baited hooks. To be really sure, you can buy fish certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council, which can currently be supplied by Brakes or major supermarkets.
Information is on display about the origins of fresh produce.
We would expect the names of one or more farms and/or local food businesses supplying locally sourced fruit, vegetables, meat or dairy products for the school meal to be displayed on menus, blackboards, flyers, websites or newsletters.
Where efforts have been made to source ingredients from a known local producer, with high welfare and other standards, caterers should display that information to pupils and parents via menus and newsletters, to help them identify with and feel proud of the school food sourcing policy.
At least one product on the menu or in vending machines meets fair trade standards.
Fair trade products that can be used on a school menu or in vending machines include bananas, pineapples, rice, quinoa, fruit juice, nuts and snacks, tea and coffee.
Fairtrade standards, as guaranteed by the FAIRTRADE Mark, ensure that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal. These standards are set by the international certification body Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO). Producer organisations that supply Fairtrade products are inspected and certified by FLO. They receive a minimum price that covers the cost of sustainable production and an extra premium that is invested in social or economic development projects.
Food education
A cooking club is established and pupils are cooking with seasonal, local and organic ingredients.
We would expect the school cooking club to be using recipes each term that highlight what is in season, and to use local and organic ingredients at least once a term. Ideally the cooking club should make use of produce grown by pupils in the school garden.
A school cooking club is an excellent way for your school to reinforce the learning from cooking classes in extra-curricular time. If care is taken to obtain in-season fruit and vegetables, and some local and organic ingredients, this will reinforce school learning on food provenance and sustainability from the organic growing and farm links activity.
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Guidance on running a Silver cooking club
(pdf, 210KB) -
Cooking skills in schools: Shopping and advance preparation
(pdf, 144KB) -
What's cooking?: FSA guide to setting up a cooking club
(pdf, 1MB)
Pupils in a garden group and/or a class are growing fruit, vegetables and herbs organically.
We would expect that pupils in the garden group or in one or more classes should be growing a range of fruit, vegetables and herbs using organic methods.
An organic growing area in school or the vicinity is a fantastic interactive classroom that can support all curriculum areas. The wider the range of produce grown by pupils, the more likely it is that they will find a range of fruit and vegetables that they feel motivated to prepare, cook and eat. Participation in the growing experience will increase by giving pupils the opportunity to decide what they would like to grow. Each pupil can be encouraged to contribute to the gardening team in different ways, such as by investigating the benefits of organic growing and composting for their health and the environment.
Visit the websites below for more information.
- This Half Term’s growing activities
- Starting your garden from scratch?
- Starting a garden – making a plan
- Vegetable gardening student guide
- Growing from seed student guide
Produce from the garden is made available at least once a term for pupils to eat or cook with
We would expect that the cooking club and/or one or more classes should be making use of garden produce in cooking activities at least once a term, using seasonal recipes.
Eating fruit and vegetables that you have grown yourself is a wholly different experience to eating fruit and vegetables that have been served up by parents or the school cook. Provided basic food hygiene rules are observed, making school garden produce available for pupils to taste and cook with is a great way to give them more of an appetite for healthy fresh produce. Catering staff or teachers responsible for teaching cooking will need to liaise with those leading food growing before planning meals or sessions, to find out what volumes of produce they can expect and when.
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Cooking skills in schools: Risk Assessment Pro forma
(pdf, 176KB)
Opportunities are taken to explore with pupils the ethical and environmental issues around food choices
We would expect cross-curricular projects, school trips and/or assemblies to be used with one or more classes or year groups to explore these issues in depth.
Over 30% of our climate impact as consumers is due to the production, transport and processing of the food we buy and eat. Pupils need to understand how, as consumers, they can make choices that will lessen this impact. In addition, farming raises a series of important ethical issues that encompass the welfare of animals and a fair deal for food producers.
Resources for teachers to support discussion of these issues are available in the Resources section of this site.
Visit the websites below for more information.
- www.wwf.org.uk/oneplanet/ophome.asp
- www.foe.org.uk/campaigns/real_food
- www.ciwf.org.uk
- www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet
- www.fairtrade.org.uk/resources_education_packs.htm
One or more year groups keep in touch with a local farm throughout the year.
We would expect that, for one or more year groups or classes, farm visits are part of a year-round link with a local farm in which farmers keep them updated on seasonal changes and activities via email or presentations, and small groups of pupils can visit the farm at different times of year.
Smaller group visits through the year enable pupils to talk at length with the farmers, get a closer look round the farm and begin to understand the yearly cycle of work on farms. Pupils who have been chosen to go on the visits can then report back to the rest of the school for example, with an assembly, or by making a display in school. Some schools might communicate regularly by email with the farmer or invite them to the school to speak. A school picnic or harvest festival held at the farm would provide an opportunity to bring larger numbers of pupils and community members to the farm.
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Advice on setting up a farm links programme
(pdf, 148KB) -
Cooking skills in schools: Basic knife skills
(pdf, 146KB)
- Case Study: Docking Primary
- www.soilassociation.org/farmvisits
- www.yearoffoodandfarming.org.uk
- www.farmsforteachers.org.uk
- www.farmgarden.org.uk/atf – for information on CEVAS
- www.face-online.org.uk
- www.teachernet.gov.uk/growingschools/
- www.teachernet.gov.uk/learningoutsidetheclassroom
The school organises at least one annual visit to or from small local food businesses
These visits may involve a small group of pupils, but if so we would expect that group to present their findings back to their class or year group in a lesson or assembly.
We know that many young people feel little connection with the ‘story of food’ and with the people who work to produce and process it. Small local businesses such as bakers, market stall holders, cheese makers, butchers and farm shops will welcome the opportunity to make links with a school and to demonstrate what they do. Schools may either send groups of children to visit them or invite them to do a presentation, for example in an assembly. Seeing everyday foods such as sausages, pasta, bread, cheese or pressed fruit juice being made in front of them will be a memorable experience for pupils, made even more so if there is an opportunity to try some! Remember to check if the foods contain nuts or traces of nuts.
- Case study: St Peter’s Primary and Gonalston Farm Shop
- Find local food businesses in the Organic Directory
Food culture and community involvement
Any flight trays used have been replaced with plates
China, melamine or polycarbonate plates and bowls should be provided in place of flight trays. Exemptions to this rule may apply in the case of children with special needs or very young children (ie aged 4 and under).
Plastic flight trays may be convenient for caterers, but they do not help to get young people used to eating like adults. Food tends to spill from one tray compartment to another, and pupils are often tempted to eat their pudding first. It is also harder to use a knife and fork properly, increasing the likelihood that pupils will use their hands instead. Melamine or polycarbonate plates and bowls offer a light, easily cleaned and practical alternative.
Read the briefing below to find out more about this issue.
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From flight trays to good food culture
(pdf, 120KB) -
Community food events menu
(pdf, 168KB)
Events are held to involve the parents and/or wider community in growing and cooking activities.
We would expect that there would be at least two occasions created for parents and/or the wider community to get involved, in addition to the annual food-themed event.
Food growing is an excellent starting point for involving members of the community. Pupils can celebrate their achievement and share the benefits with the wider community. Promoting the growing programme within the school through a range of activities will inspire others to get involved.
‘Events’ may include anything from taster sessions at parents’ evenings, and ‘open days’ of the cooking or gardening clubs, to cooking demonstrations by local chefs. Some ideas are provided in the community food event menu.
Pupils and parents are actively encouraged to cook and to grow their own produce at home
The school should encourage pupils to get involved with their families in cooking and growing at home through simple projects for evenings or holidays, or by providing recipes and seeds or nursery plants for the pupils to take home.
Cooking projects could involve asking pupils to try out simple recipes at home with their parents, using affordable or school-supplied ingredients, and then bring in photographs or the dish itself to school the following day. Growing projects could involve taking seeds home to germinate, and bringing the seedlings back into school to plant out in pots or the school garden. Growing fruit and vegetables and cooking at home can be rewarding for all involved. It is also an affordable way for families to have a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables available to them to count towards their five-a-day.
Invitations are issued for parents and/or other community members to eat with the pupils.
Invitations should be issued to parents at least once a term. This could be in the form of a direct letter or a notice in the school newsletter or on the website. A wider invitation to senior citizens or other community groups should be issued at least once a year.
At St Peter’s Primary in Nottinghamshire, this occasion is used as the basis for a project that links citizenship and PSHE. Year 5 pupils write to a senior citizen pen-pal to discuss healthy eating and food preferences. Year 5 pupils then plan and help the cook prepare a healthy meal to serve to their pen pals, and the resulting feast is an annual event.
Get in touch
If you would like to learn more about the Food for Life Partnership or have any questions, please contact us.