Nov14Head Teachers food survey

The Latest Key Findings as reported by the School Food Trust

• Pupils have one hour or more for lunch in 68% of primary and 24% of secondary schools. Pupils had lunch periods of 30 minutes or less in 16% of primary and 13% of secondary schools.
• 13% of primary and 49% of secondary head teachers considered their dining space to be ‘not very’ or ‘not at all’ adequate.
• 27% of primary and 10% of secondary schools reported having no dedicated indoor dining areas. The school hall was used for dining in most of these schools.
• More than 60% of schools gave pupils the option to eat in designated outdoor dining areas
• 32% of head teachers reported that the take up of school meals had increased between autumn 2007 and autumn 2008. 38% reported that it had remained the same, and 23% that it had decreased.
• The main reasons identified as contributing to an increase in take up were that the food had improved (47%) and that meals had been promoted (21%). Reasons for a fall in take up were that the food had changed (67%) and that prices had increased (25%).
• 76% of primary and 70% of secondary head teachers thought that pupils’ attitudes towards eating healthier meals was better in Spring 2008 than in Spring 2007. Only 1% of primary and 4% of secondary head teachers thought that attitudes were worse.