Parents & carers


Special Diets FAQs

These are questions that we frequently answer about special diets and the rules that apply to the food served in special schools.

Are schools required to provide special diets when requested?

School lunch menus are designed for the majority of the school population, so some pupils with special dietary needs may need to be catered for individually. It is up to the school to decide whether this is feasible, although every effort should be made to cater for all pupils' needs. Schools are not required by law to cater for children with special dietary needs but they are encouraged to do so.

We would recommend that schools develop a policy and procedure to ensure that a request for a special diet is handled in an efficient and appropriate way. It is good practice for these requirements to be written into any contracts that are developed with caterers. Catering providers and local authorities may already have policies and procedures in place.

Do the School Food Regulations require schools to provide a school lunch for those pupils following a vegetarian diet?

The School Food Regulations (2007) require that all food and drink provided in local authority maintained primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units must meet the final food-based and nutrient-based standards for school lunches and the food-based standards for school food other than lunches.

The Regulations do not specify that schools must provide a daily vegetarian option; however, schools must assess the dietary needs of their population, and make every effort to cater for all pupils’ needs in order to provide a popular and viable service.

There are a number of example compliant menus for primary and secondary schools available on our website which include a range of recipes for vegetarian dishes. These can be downloaded via this link:
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/compliantmenus

When were special schools required to comply with the nutrient-based standards?

Special schools were required to comply with the final food-based and nutrient-based standards for school lunches by September 2009. This includes special schools with primary aged pupils, and special schools with secondary aged pupils.

Which standards should be followed in a special school with pupils aged 4-16 years?

The School Food Regulations (2007) state that where a special school provides both primary and secondary education, a school lunch provided to a junior pupil must comply with the requirements for primary schools; and a school lunch provided to a senior pupil must comply with the requirements for secondary schools.

Schools can calculate values for the nutrient-based standards by taking into account the age distribution of the pupils, so only one analysis has to be carried out. The different nutritional requirements would then be met by varying the portion sizes served to different age groups.

There is an example of how this would be calculated in the technical notes section of the guide to introducing the Government's food-based and nutrient-based standards for school lunches here:
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/resources/nutrientbasedstandards

Do the standards apply to residential special schools?

The School Food Regulations (2007) apply to all special schools in England, including residential special schools.

Special schools were required to meet the food-based and nutrient-based standards for school lunches by September 2009.

Food and drink other than lunch that is provided to pupils during a school day (up to 6pm) is required to comply with the food-based standards for all school food other than lunches. This includes food and drink provided for breakfast, mid morning snacks and after school meals provided before 6pm.

An amendment to the School Food Regulations will come into force on 1 September 2011, which will allow maintained boarding schools to serve cakes and biscuits, items of confectionery and snacks as part of an evening meal, even if this is provided before 6pm. Food and drink provided as part of an evening meal before 6pm will still be required to meet the remaining food-based standards (including restrictions on provision of deep-fried foods, meat products and starchy foods cooked in fat or oil).
This amendment is available to download from:
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1190/made

It is important that there is a system in place within the school to co-ordinate food provision across the school day to ensure that the food-based standards that apply across the day (e.g. the restrictions of meat products) are met.

There is further guidance about the food-based standards for all school food other than lunch on our website here.
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/resources/2007a

Are pupils following medically prescribed diets exempt from the standards?

There is no exemption for pupils following medically prescribed diets, and food provided to pupils following medically prescribed diets should be included in the calculation of the nutrient content of an average school lunch.

The nutrient-based standards apply to lunch provision for the school as a whole, rather than consumption by individual pupils. Therefore, it is possible for schools to meet the standards whilst also providing different options (as necessary) for individual children with special dietary requirements.

Is there advice available for residential special schools providing meals other than lunch (e.g. breakfast, tea and supper)?

The food-based standards for all school food other than lunches apply to all food and drink provided by local authorities or school governing bodies to pupils during a school day (up to 6pm). Therefore food and drink provided in a residential special school before 6pm (e.g. breakfast, break times, tea) is required to comply with these standards.

An amendment to the School Food Regulations will come into force on 1 September 2011, which will allow maintained boarding schools to serve cakes and biscuits, items of confectionery and snacks as part of an evening meal, even if this is provided before 6pm. Food and drink provided as part of an evening meal before 6pm will still be required to meet the remaining food-based standards (including restrictions on provision of deep-fried foods, meat products and starchy foods cooked in fat or oil).
This amendment is available to download from:
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1190/made

There is a guide to these standards on the Trust website that outlines the types of food and drinks that can be provided during the school day, and gives examples of food and drink options that meet these standards here.
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/resources/2007a

Can we exclude pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder from the analysis of an average school lunch?

The standards apply to the overall provision of food and drink, and not to the lunch provided to an individual pupil. All food and drink provided to pupils as lunch provision should be included in the analysis of an average school lunch, including food and drink provided to pupils with special needs such as selective eating due to Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

We are aware that manufacturers are responding to the introduction of the standards by the development of new products, including those for special dietary needs.
There is a section (4.14-4.15) about dietary needs in the guide to the nutrient-based standards that includes information about selective eaters and Autistic Spectrum Disorder:
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/resources/nutrientbasedstandards

At our school, we continue the use of motivators (including food related motivators) that are used at home to engage pupils. Can we continue to do this?

The school food standards do not apply to food and drink that is brought into school by the pupil or parents. Therefore food-based motivators that are used at home can be brought into school for their use to be continued during the school day.

There is a section (4.14-4.15) about special dietary needs in the guide to the nutrient-based standards that includes information about pupils with additional support needs:
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/resources/nutrientbasedstandards

What drinks can we provide at break time if squash is no longer allowed?

Food and drink provided to pupils at mid-morning break is required to comply with the food-based standards for all school food other than lunches.

Squash and cordials cannot be provided by schools, but there is a range of drinks that can be provided throughout the school day.

In addition to plain drinks including water, milk and fruit or vegetable juices, combination drinks can be provided in schools. For example, a combination of fruit juice and water (still or carbonated) can be provided, as long as the drink is at least 50% juice by volume. This type of combination drink may be more acceptable to children who do not like plain water.

Combination drinks are classified as non-alcoholic flavoured drinks under EU law and are allowed to contain the additives and flavourings specified by Council Directives 89/107/EEC and 88/388/EEC.

For a full list of the drinks permitted in schools, see the updated drinks table at the foot of the page.

What snacks can we provide in our special school, now that biscuits are not permitted?

Food and drink provided to pupils at mid-morning break is required to comply with the food-based standards for all school food other than lunches.

Cakes and biscuits can be provided at lunchtime only, and should not be provided at other times of the school day.

Ideas for snacks that can be provided at mid-morning break, and are quick to prepare include bread type products such as bagels, currant and fruit bread, crumpets, tea cakes and English muffins. Other snack ideas include fresh, canned or dried fruit, dried fruit, fruit bars consisting purely of compacted dried fruit, and yoghurt.

There are more suggestions for innovative snack ideas on our website here:
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/mid-morningsnacks

Can pupils with diabetes have school meals?

Most children with type 1 diabetes are treated with a combination of insulin, regular exercise and a healthy balanced diet. This is a diet which is low in fat and sugar and based on starchy carbohydrates, and in most cases this can be achieved from the standard school lunch menu.

It is important that a medical professional is consulted to ensure the diet given to any pupil with a medical condition is suitable for their needs, and that pupils, parents, school staff and catering providers work in partnership to ensure that the provision for the child is delivered to a safe and high standard.

Children with type 1 diabetes need to eat at regular intervals to help maintain blood sugar levels. Therefore it may be necessary for diabetic pupils to be first in the lunch queue each day to ensure they are eating at the same time each day, and they may need to eat in class.

More information about diabetes in school children is available from Diabetes UK:
www.diabetes.org.uk

What is the Trust doing to support the introduction of the standards in special schools?

The Trust is aware that meeting the final food-based and nutrient-based standards for school lunches can be more challenging in a school where a large proportion of pupils have special dietary needs.

The Trust has worked with three special schools in Norfolk to fast-track the implementation of the final food-based and nutrient-based standards for school lunches before the September 2009 deadline. Case studies describing the challenges faced and lessons learned during the pilot study have been incorporated into a practical guide for special schools. This has been developed through a joint collaboration with a range of partners, and is titled “Eat better, Do better: A practical guide to adopting a Whole School Approach to food in Special Schools”.

The guide is accompanied by a CD resource including further practical guidance and was distributed to special schools and partners in June 2009. The guide and CD resources can also be downloaded from the Trust’s website along with six podcasts created during the pilots here:
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/specialschools

Are schools required to provide halal meat if requested by pupils and parents? If halal meat is used in school lunch recipes, is the school required to provide an alternative dish using non-halal meat?

The school food standards do not require schools to provide halal meat if requested by pupils or parents, and it is up to individual schools to decide if this is feasible based on local circumstances. We recommend that schools assess the dietary needs of their population and make every effort to cater for all pupils’ needs, in order to provide a popular and viable service. It is also important that schools use effective labelling where food and drinks are provided to ensure that pupils can select menu items that are appropriate for their dietary and cultural requirements.

The school food standards do not require a non-halal alternative to be provided if halal meat is used in school lunch menus, however, we encourage school caterers to provide food that is appropriate and acceptable to the whole school population.

We recommend that schools and local authorities consult with the school community to find an appropriate solution for their individual schools. These solutions could include:

  • Providing both halal and non-halal meat dishes each day (ensuring that the dishes are clearly labeled to allow pupils to select the appropriate choice).
  • Using halal meat on the school menu on some days of the week, and non-halal meat on other days (ensuring that the pupils know on which days halal meat will be used), and providing fish and vegetarian options on all days of the week.
  • Providing halal meat as the standard menu option, but providing non-halal dishes on request (or vice versa)
  • Using either halal or non-halal meat in all dishes, and providing vegetarian options for pupils for whom this is not acceptable.

In all of the above situations it is important to ensure that catering staff receive sufficient cultural awareness training, to enable them to understand the reasons for pupils’ diverse dietary requirements, and produce menus that are acceptable for pupils.

Are schools that run meat only kitchens (and therefore provide no dairy products) due to the high number of Jewish pupils requiring a kosher diet required to meet the nutrient-based standard for calcium? If so, how can they do this?

There are no exemptions in the standards for schools that provide special diets (e.g. schools that do not provide dairy products). It is important for children to have an adequate intake of calcium to help develop strong bones and teeth, and calcium is also important for muscle and nerve function and blood clotting.

We would recommend provision of non-dairy sources of calcium to help increase the calcium content of an average school lunch in schools that do not provide dairy products.

There are a range of non-dairy sources of calcium that schools can incorporate into their lunch menu to help them meet the standard for calcium. These include products fortified with calcium (including white bread and white flour), dried fruits, red kidney beans, chickpeas, tofu, soya beans, broccoli and cabbage.

Alternative drinks include calcium enriched soya, rice and oat-based plain and flavoured drinks. Other enriched soya products like desserts and custard are also available.

Download

sft_summary_drinks_table.pdf

List and definition of drinks permitted in schools

Further Reading

Special Schools

Support for schools catering for pupils with special dietary needs


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