According to UNICEF research nine out of ten children are worried about climate change, with 89% of children saying they don’t feel enough is being done to tackle the climate crisis and 81% feeling that they are not being listened to. The Canteen to Classroom initiative aims to empower children to make climate-friendly dietary choices at both school and home through the provision of high-quality and evidence-based lessons developed specifically for primary schools. All Canteen to Classroom lesson plans are available to download for free here.
Eating Well and Food in Schools
Drove Academy have provided us with the following case study that outlines their compassionate approach to healthy weight in schools. Does your school have a case study to share? Drove Primary Case Study January 2024
Food in schools
The School Food Standards: resources for schools include a checklist for Head Teachers, guidance for governors, a checklist for school food other than lunch, and more. 
Healthy lunchboxes are an important part of your healthy schools work and can contribute to wider work to help reduce childhood obesity. Packed lunches are often an area of confusion for parents and teachers alike. A good starting point for developing your own school's packed lunch policy is this sample one. It should be stressed that this is only a starting point.
Work through the Whole school food policy - a strategic approach web-page guidance by the British Nutrition Foundation. This web page will enable you to develop a policy that encourages all aspects of food in school to be brought together clearly, coherently and consistently.
ProVeg UK’s School Plates programme helps school caterers to make small changes to menus that can have a big impact on children’s health and the health of the planet.
The national School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme is open to all fully state-funded infant, primary or special schools. 4-6 year olds in full time education, and children in the same class can participate. Complete this referral form to apply for this for your setting.
Healthy Zones | School Food Matters provides the following templates and guide:
- Breakfast club guide and recipes
- After school club guide and recipes
- Primary school food policy guide
- Secondary school food policy guide
- Packed lunch guidance
- Non-food reward ideas
- Water-only school toolkit
Free school meals (FSMs)
It is also important to promote Free School Meals to families. Many families do not know that they are eligible. Access to Free School Meals also opens doors to other services and support. More information is available on the Swindon Borough Council website.
Please circulate this flyer to parents and carers.
Translated materials to promote FSMs with a QR code for the Swindon Borough Council FSMs page, which Lawn Manor Academy have offered to share as an example. Note that your setting would need to revise the contact details on this to use these resources:
Training for school staff and governors
November 2024: The National Governance Association (NGA) has launched a new Learning Link e-learning module: A whole-school approach to food, developed in partnership with the Department for Education (DfE). The module, which is free to all governing board members, provides essential guidance on the legal requirements and best practices for maintaining and enhancing school food standards. Focusing on the pivotal role governing boards play in promoting student health and well-being, it offers a structured journey through understanding the School Food Standards, including why they matter, how they impact students, and what boards can do to exceed the standards and support pupil welfare. The content covers key areas such as the board’s oversight responsibilities, creating policies, and effectively monitoring school food provision. Through this training, board members will understand the legal and practical elements of food standards, ensuring that schools meet and set an example in nutrition and healthy practices.All governors and trustees can access the module free via the Learning Link Trial Site. Existing subscribers can access it via the Learning Link platform.
Food and nutrition resources for schools
The Belly Bugs is an innovative, interactive and evidenced based method to engage children. The programme encourages them to look after their Belly Bugs by growing and eating more plant foods and to get enough sleep and exercise. Read more here - Who are the belly bugs? | MyNutriWeb Blog
Which fruits and vegetables count towards the five a day? Have a look at the NHS Five a day campaign website and download the Fuel for living recipe booklet.
The School Fruit & Vegetable Scheme (SFVS) is open to all fully state-funded infant, primary or special schools. 4-6 year olds in full time education, and children in the same class can participate. If your school is not yet signed up, please contact 03306 780926 or email sfvs@supplychain.nhs.uk to apply.
The Food, a fact of life website from the British Nutrition Foundation looks at healthy eating, cooking and food skills, food and farming. It gives lots of ideas for resources and you can subscribe to a newsletter for lots of fresh ideas.
The British Nutrition Foundation's website has some useful information for teachers and others, including a specific area for children's health.
The NHS Better Health programme aims to help families improve their diet, exercise and attitude to good health, see Healthier Families - Home - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Eating disorders support services and resources.
The NHS Food Scanner App helps pupils explore what is in their food and drink and make healthier swaps.
Eat Them to Defeat Them: This website is packed full of fun, expert advice and useful resources to help schools, caterers and families to get their children eating more veg.
Children and Young People with SEND
Food a FACT of Life. Pupils with additional needs. Pupils with additional needs - Food A Fact Of Life Here you’ll find resources to support the teaching and learning about food and nutrition with children and young people with additional needs. The resources have been developed to provide a framework and structure for teaching around the key themes of Healthy eating, Cooking and Where food comes from.
Culturally adapted Eatwell Guides
Enfield Council and Glorious Nutrition have produced culturally adapted Eatwell Guides.
The key messages are available here.
The guides can also be downloaded here..
ProVeg UK launched a new programme in October 2024 called ‘Canteen to Classroom’ for children about the health and environmental impact of the food they eat.
Breakfast Clubs
A balanced breakfast not only sets pupils up for the day, it helps encourage healthy eating habits during the school day and beyond. Some pupils won’t have the option to eat well outside of school and this is a great way to address health inequalities, increase attainment and attendance, and to reduce food poverty. In Swindon, 27.5% of those with young people under 18 in their household were living in poverty in 2023.
Fix Our Food published findings from a study in August 2024. Findings highlight the potential of breakfast clubs to provide a nutritious breakfast before the start of the school day, particularly for families who don’t have the resources or the time to provide breakfast. Please view a summary of the presentation here, which was delivered to the Affordable Schools Network in September 2024.
Breakfast Club Resources
There are several excellent guides out there about setting up breakfast clubs in primary and secondary schools. We’d particularly recommend the Healthy Zones Breakfast Club Guide which includes menu ideas and how to adapt these to your space, budget and facilities, tips, simple and healthy breakfast recipes that you can also involve pupils in preparing, certificate template for children trying out new foods and more.
The breakfast club early adopter scheme
The government announced in September 2024 that it is committed to offering a free breakfast club in every primary school in England. The deadline for expressions of interest is April 2025.
This will build on the national wraparound childcare programme and national school breakfast programme.
They will be inviting schools to take part in an early adopter scheme. The scheme will seek to test and learn what works ahead of national rollout.
The programme will invite up to 750 state-funded schools in England with primary aged-pupils to work with the Department for Education (DfE). It will focus on how breakfast clubs can be delivered in a way that:
- builds on what is already happening in schools
- meets the needs of parents
- ensures children start the day ready to learn
DfE will also work with the sector, including local authorities and childcare providers, businesses and charities to consider the best approaches to delivering breakfast clubs in schools.
Further information on how schools can take part in the scheme, and the model the scheme will follow, will be shared in the second half of the autumn. Early adopter schools will be confirmed by early 2025 and the scheme will launch in the summer term (April 2025).
Register your interest: Schools that wish to find out more about becoming an early adopter can sign up using the early adopter breakfast clubs expression of interest form to be notified as further information becomes available.
Support and services for children and families
The Holiday Activity Food Programme runs throughout school holidays and is free for families. One of the focuses is around healthy food. Eligibility includes young carers, children in receipt of benefits related free school meals, child
protection and children in need (must have a social worker working with the child) and young carers.
View the Live Well Swindon directory for details on free Healthy Eating courses for families and further local support.
Healthy Start offers parents and carers support to buy healthy food and some types of milk for eligible parents/carers of children under 4 or who are expecting a baby.. It also offers free vitamins for pregnant people and vitamin drops for infants. More information is available at www.healthystart.nhs.uk.
Talking to your child about weight: A guide for parents and caregivers of children aged 4-11 years is can be found here.
Further national guidance
Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives
Childhood Obesity - A Plan for Action
Childhood Obesity - A Plan for Action Chapter 2
Healthy weight, healthy futures: local government action to tackle childhood obesity
Do you have anything to add? If so, please contact us.
