Research


Surveys and monitoring

The trust conducts regular surveys to find out what is happening in schools and local authorities and what head teachers, parents and pupils think about school food. We also monitor any changes in school food provision and help schools to check if the food they provide meets the school food standards.

Please Note: Where a report exists the link is displayed here – where no link is displayed the report is still in production.

Research area: Annual Survey of school meal take up in England

What is it?: A survey of all local authorities in England to collect data on take up of school lunches and to find out about factors affecting take up. The survey also gathers contextual information about school lunch provision.
Summary: Average take up in 2010-2011 was 44.1% in primary schools, an increase of 2.7 percentage points compared with 2009-2010. In secondary schools, take up was 37.6%, an increase of 1.8 percentage points compared with 2009-2010. Coverage of schools nationally was 78% in primary and 54% in secondary schools.
Sample and setting: Local authority in-house and contracted catering providers, private school catering contractors, school in-house catering providers. Survey conducted every April to cover previous financial year.
Contact Details: Katy Riley
Published Reports:

Research area: Primary School Food Survey

What is it?: A national survey of school food provision in primary schools in England to assess progress towards meeting school food standards and the impact on pupils’ lunchtime food consumption.
Sample and setting: A nationally representative sample of 6,696 pupils in 136 primary schools in England was recruited between February and April 2009 to assess the lunchtime eating habits of primary school pupils. A further 3428 pupils who brought packed lunches were also recruited.
Contact Details: Dalia Haroun and Clare Harper
Published Reports:

Research area: Secondary School Food Survey

What is it?: A national survey of school food provision in secondary schools in England to assess progress towards meeting school food standards and the impact on pupils’ lunchtime food consumption.
Sample and setting: A nationally representative sample of 11,697 pupils in 80 secondary schools in England was recruited between October 2010 and April 2011 to assess the eating habits of secondary school pupils at mid-morning break (5,728 pupils) and at lunchtime (5,969 pupils). A further 1,823 pupils who brought packed lunches or other food from outside school were also recruited.
Contact Details: Jo Nicholas
Published Reports:

Research area: Food portion weights in primary and secondary schools in England

What is it?: To describe the mean and variation in portion sizes of a wide range of foods served in primary and secondary schools.
Sample and setting: Portion size weights of food served in 136 primary and 80 secondary schools in England were recorded.
Contact Details: Lesley Stevens
Published Reports:

Research area: Procurement Survey

What is it?: A survey to explore the main issues related to school food procurement, the challenges involved, areas where support may be helpful and how efficiencies could be delivered and sustainability improved.
Summary: 74 LAs responded to the survey, and data from 73 (49%) were of sufficient quality to be included in the analysis. Of these 24 (33%) procured a school meal catering service, 46 (63%) provided an in-house school catering service, 11 (15%) procured other services in relation to school food procurement and 24 (33%) provided advice to schools about school food procurement. The majority of LAs reported that they undertook more than one activity in relation to school food procurement.
Sample and setting: A survey of Local Authorities (LAs) was undertaken in August 2008 to better understand the practices and challenges involved in school food procurement. 74 LAs responded.
Contact Details: Jo Nicholas
Published Reports:

Research area: Vending in English secondary schools

What is it?: A survey of what is sold in vending machines before and after the introduction of the standards for school food other than lunch.
Summary Findings: The final report incorporating findings at follow-up is currently being prepared and will be available in spring 2010
Sample and setting: A national sample of 279 secondary schools in England. Baseline data in 2006-2007 and follow-up data in 2008 following the introduction of standards for non-lunch foods
Contact Details: Michael Nelson
Published Reports:

Research area: Schools Food Panel – headteachers

What is it?: Headteachers tell us what they think about school food.
Summary: All head teachers considered it very or quite important for pupils to have time and space to eat at lunchtime. Overall, 94% of primary and 69% of secondary head teachers thought that it was very important for pupils to have time for both physical activity and healthy eating at lunchtime.
Sample and setting: A national panel of 250 primary and 150 secondary school headteachers willing to be contacted once per term.
Contact Details: Jo Nicholas
Published Reports:

Research area: School food: Perceptions of head teachers and local authorities

What is it?: Schools Food Panel – head teacher and local authority views on why take up changes
Summary: Since 2006 the School Food Trust has monitored the take up of school meals in England. All the surveys have also included questions asking about possible reasons for changes in the take up of school meals within each local authority. Alongside the annual take up survey, a series of ten waves of a panel survey of head teachers has been conducted since 2007, some of which included questions asking the head teachers about possible reasons for changes in take up within their schools. Longitudinal analysis of both sets of data has shown both similarities and differences in perceptions among LAs and head teachers.
Sample and setting: Nationally representative sample of head teachers and all LAs in England
Contact Details: Lesley Wood
Published Reports:

Research area: Parents’ attitude survey

What is it?: Parents tell us their attitudes towards school food
Summary: Fifty four percent of parents (whose child had a school meal) said that they thought school meals have become healthier since September 2006.
Sample and setting: National sample of 2024 households with school-age children
Contact Details: Michael Nelson
Published Reports:

Research area: Parent Voice: School meals and packed lunches

What is it?: A survey of parents about why they choose school meals or packed lunches for their children.
Summary: Parents opt for school meals because they want their child to have a hot meal at lunchtime, to be able to sit with their friends, and because they know the child likes and will eat the food on offer. Parents provide packed lunches because they know their child will eat what is provided, but also because packed lunches are seen to be cheaper and school meals too expensive. What parents say they provide in packed lunches is less healthy than what is typically on offer in school lunches.
Sample and setting: A nationally representative sample of 1000 parents with children in primary and secondary schools in England
Contact Details: Michael Nelson
Published Reports:

Research area: Pupil’s opinions of school meals

What is it?: A Carrick James Market Research* Fast Action Telephone Survey was used to survey a nationally representative sample of 502 young people aged between 11 and 16.
Summary: Over half (56%) of the respondents purchased food from the school dining-room. Almost two-thirds of all pupils reported eating in the dining room, irrespective of whether food was purchased.
Sample and setting: A nationally representative sample of young people attending English schools. The sample reflected the population according to sex, socio-economic status, and regional split.
Contact Details: Lesley Wood
Published Reports:

*CJMR is a market research agency specialising in child and youth research, involving also research among parents, teenagers, students and teachers.

Research area: Survey of parents’ and children’s awareness of School Food Trust marketing

What is it?: A survey to find out if parents and children are aware of the School Food Trust, and their attitudes to schol food.
Summary: Parents provided a packed lunch because it was cheaper and they could control what was eaten at lunch time. But three-quarters of pupils wanted to try school meals.
Sample and setting: 568 parents and 707 school children provided information on attitudes and awareness of SFT programmes
Contact Details: Michael Nelson
Published Reports:

Research area: School Food Checklist

What is it?: All schools in England are being encouraged to use this on-line monitoring tool to assess compliance with the food-based standards for lunch and across the school day.
Contact Details: Patricia Mucavele

Research area: Audit tool

What is it?: All schools in England are being encouraged to seek Healthy Schools status. The audit tool is an extended version of the Healthy Schools audit tool to assess compliance with Healthy Schools criteria.
Contact Details: Patricia Mucavele

Research area: Audits and Inspections Toolkit

What is it?: Schools and catering providers can use this toolkit to compile a set of recommended minimum evidence to demonstrate compliance with the food-based and nutrient-based standards, and to evaluate available evidence of compliance with food-based and nutrient-based standards against the recommended minimum evidence.
Contact Details: Claire Wall


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