Royal Assent for the Education Bill means that plans to give schools and caterers more flexibility in promoting healthy school meals to families have been given the go-ahead.
The new Education Act makes changes to existing legislation that will make it easier for schools to use special pricing offers to encourage more pupils to try a healthy school lunch.
Our research suggests that more parents would be prepared to try school meals for their child if they are offered as part of a promotion or with a discounted price.
School Food Trust Chief Executive, Judy Hargadon, said: “This will help schools and caterers to be even more innovative in the way they market healthy school food to parents and pupils, and reflects our own work in schools to test different promotions over the last few years.
“The ability to use special price offers – for example as children start reception class or Year 7 – is a proven way of encouraging children to try a balanced meal in their school dining room.
“With family budgets so stretched, promotions making school food more affordable for parents on low incomes who don’t qualify for free school meals, or for larger families, will also be welcomed.”
The changes will come into force from September 2012 – watch this space for updates and links to new resources which will help your school if you want to use discounts and special offers then.
*Clause 35 of the Education Bill: *
- Removes the requirement that any charge made for the provision of “milk, meals and other refreshments” in a school must be the same for every person for the same quantity of the same item. The repeal of this requirement will, in effect, allow them to charge different prices for the same quantity of the same item.
