School Food Plan

The School Food Plan was published in July 2013 as the result of an independent review of school food commissioned by the Department for Education. Written by restaurateurs Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent, it is made up of actions and recommendations that aim to help head teachers increase revenue and school meal take up whilst improving school food culture and access to good food.

The broad aim of the Plan is to return to a golden age of school food; helping create a generation of children who enjoy food that makes them healthier, more successful and, most importantly, happier. You can find a great video that summarises the plan and its aims here.

Food for Life were among national specialist organisations who sat on the expert panel that supported the development and implementation of the Plan. The success of our programme was also cited alongside the benefits of a whole school approach to food. Download the full version of the Plan here.

How the Plan can help you

Universal Infant Free School Meals is the most widely recognised initiatives to come from the Plan, but many other positive changes have been implemented as a result of actions recommended in the plan. These include the re-introduction of Cooking in the Curriculum and the new School Food Standards. You'll find an update on the Plan's progress here.

A number of resources have also been created to provide support and guidance for schools. These include:

  • The Headteacher's Checklist
  • The What Works Well website - this includes many helpful examples of good practice and solutions as well as signposting to expert organisations.
  • Guidance for Governors - developed in collaboration with the National Governors’ Association, this guidance aims to support governors in championing a whole school approach to food and help create a culture and ethos of healthy eating. 
  • Practical Guidance to help school leaders and governing bodies develop a whole school approach to food, which Ofsted inspectors have been asked to familiarise themselves with as part of their assessment of how schools are supporting learners to keep themselves healthy.

You can find out more by visiting the School Food Plan's website www.schoolfoodplan.com


School food guidance included in Ofsted inspector update

"The policy changes offer a golden opportunity for great school leaders and imaginative cooks to lead a transformation of the food culture in their schools."Henry Dimbleby (Author - the School Food Plan)

If ALL primary schools in England were FFL schools 100,000 more children would be eating at least some fruit and vegetables.