Food Active supports new report calling for a Healthy Schools Rating Scheme

School Food Matters is a registered charity that aims to to ensure that every child enjoys fresh sustainable food at school and understands where their food comes from. To achieve this they listen to and involve parents, children and schools, working together to improve school meals and support food education through cooking, growing and visits to farms.

As part of the Childhood Obesity Plan (chapters 1 in 2016 and 2 in 2018), the Government has proposed a Healthy Schools Rating Scheme (HSRS) which would be used to evaluate how schools are supporting children to keep themselves healthy. School Food Matters spoke to parents, school staff and governors to find out their views on the scheme – topline findings of which can be seen below:

• 97% of people surveyed are in favour of a Healthy Schools Rating Scheme (HSRS)
• When asked if the scheme should be mandatory, 85% of respondents agreed.
• 93% are in favour of the HSRS being applied to all state funded schools.
• When asked if Ofsted should monitor the scheme, 72% of all people surveyed, and 76% of parents, agreed.

The report has been supported by over 30 organisations including Jamie Oliver, Food for Life and the Children’s Food Campaign – see the full list of supporters, including Food Active, below.

Organisations supporting the call are: Action on Salt, Action on Sugar,  Alexandra Rose Charity Business Services Association,  Cavill Associates, Charlton Manor Primary School, Children’s Food Campaign, Clifton Green Primary School, Edible Playgrounds, Enfield Council, Federation of Wholesale Distributors, First Steps Nutrition, Food Active, Food for Life, Food Foundation, Garden Organic, Greenfields Community School, HENRY, Jamie Oliver, LACA, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Magic Breakfast, Mayor of London, Newland St John’s CE Academy,  Public Health Nutrition Research, Phunky Foods,  Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Adopt a School Trust, School Food Plan Alliance Sugar Smart, Sustain, The Actives Team, The Hyperactive Children’s Support Group UCL, University of Sheffield, Washingborough Academy, Youth Sport Trust.