School council introduction sessionThese slides can be utilised / adopted to help introduce the programme to the school council and or the school assembly

Note to user

• The following presentation aims to provide you a sample of slides to use for various meetings such as your council meeting and governor meeting etc.

• They includes slides describing what, why and how to implement a SFA programmes.

• Remember the SFA is flexible, schools can choose to do as much or as little to suit your schools resources and need.

• The selection can be added to and or reduced depending on the purpose of the presentation.

• Schools can access training on how to implement the SFA programme by emailing schoolwellbeing@leeds.gov.uk

• alternatively use the free guidance and toolkit available from • http://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/Pages/The%20school%20food%20ambassador%20programme.aspx

Warm up activity

What do we like about food and lunchtimes

at our school?

By the end of today session we will;

• know about the school food ambassadors programme • understand how our school can benefit from school food

ambassadors• have some ideas for how we could elect our school food

ambassadors

What is healthy eating and why is it important?

ACTIVITY 1:

The eatwell plate activity

What is School Food Ambassadors?

The aim of the School Food Ambassador (SFA) is to champion and monitor school food and represent school food improvements.

The ambassadors will be the voice of school food!

What is School Food Ambassadors?

• Through the school council, ambassadors will take the lead on improving school food and monitoring the school food contract.

• They will also inform the school improvement plan and support the governor’s role to improve school food.

We might be able to help improve school lunchtimes and school food so more children eat a school meal

How?

… School Food Ambassadors!

Why do we need SFA in our school?

• School meals are an important meal of the day and can give us energy and nutrients to help our bodies work properly

• Eating a school meal can help us stay healthy and do better at school

• It’s important that our school meals taste good and are healthy

How can we improve school food?

• We can monitor school meals and keep a record to find out what could be improved.

• We could look at things like …- availability

- taste

- if the food is healthy

- if the food meets the national standards*

What will the ambassadors do?

• Carry out monitoring visits of lunchtimes ‘mystery diners’

• Compare the menus to what is actually served

• Interview other pupils and staff

• Make sure food meets the mandatory standards

• Make observations about lunchtimes e.g. queuing, food wastage

• Record findings and share with the school council and senior leadership

What are the national government standards?

• All food served in schools must comply with the mandatory government food and nutrient standards (www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk)

• The standards are designed to help keep us healthy

The standards should ensure school meals provide …• more fruit and vegetables• high-quality meat, poultry or oily fish • bread, other cereals and potatoes• access to free water

They help us to eat less unhealthy food such as …• deep-fried food (e.g. chips)• fizzy drinks, crisps, chocolate and other confectioneries

removed from school meals

The standards …

You will work in partnership with and support the kitchen

and lunch time staff

ACTIVITY 2

My School Food Ambassadors should be …

How could we elect our school food ambassadors?

• Peer nominations followed by a whole school vote / vote within the council

• Self nominations followed by a whole school vote / vote within the council

• School staff selection – The ambassadors are chosen by a member of staff

• Job application process and interview

How will our school benefit?

Provide an audit trail for school food improvement

Monitor compliance against the school food standards

Support for catering staff

Inform Ofsted judgements

Support Healthy Schools activities

Encourage pupil participation

Improve relationships between pupils and the catering staff

Encourage more pupils to eat a school meal

How will the ambassadors benefit?

• Grow in confidence

• Gain new skills

• Make new friends

• Represent food in school

• Rewards and achievements

• Make things better for other pupils

• Make a difference!

How could we work together with other schools?

• We could share ideas• We can share experiences• Discuss our findings• Work together• Monitor lunch times in different schools• Support each other!

What else could our food ambassadors do ...?

• Monitor food at break time or the breakfast club• Encourage others to eat a healthy packed lunch• Encourage healthy snacking• Promote school meals – make posters, leaflets• Speak in assemblies about school food

… and much more!

Final thought …

If you could change one thing about food or lunchtimes in your

school what would it be?

Hopefully now we …

• know about the school food ambassadors programme • understand how our school can benefit from school food

ambassadors• have a some ideas for how we could elect our school

food ambassadors

Any questions?

Additional slides that can be used by your school

Leeds Strategic commitment

• Leeds CC priorities – Include school meal is in local

improvement plans.– FSM take is a key performance

indicator.– Child poverty action plan includes

promoting FSM take up as a key action to tackle child poverty

– Children and young people plan – Measure uptake to monitor

improvements using OBA process

What do 99,363 Leeds pupils eat for school lunch? (2012)

• 27,210: Choose a paid school meal

• 19,170: Entitled to a FSM, of which 4,376 don’t take it everyday

• 57,959: Unknown - either packed lunch, go home or other

• What can we do to increase free and paid uptake and improve quality of food brought from home?

Source: Children’s services financial year 2011-2012 InfoBase D3397

Key research findings to barriers to take up (Leeds 2008 research)…

1. We asked our schools pupils and parents why do they think children do not eat a school meal they said:

1. Barriers to FSM uptake are the same for pupils can choose to pay for a school meal

2. Interventions to increase free also increase paid school meal take-up

3. Stigma was not a key barrier.. 1. Did exist in primary; mostly in high school;

parents concerned based on their experience perception…

Our students said…

• They are interested in school meals…• They want to see improvements to quality, choice of food.• They want improved pupil behaviour supervision,

curriculum structures to give more time for lunch…• They worry about children who go hungry…• They are aware poor diet is not good for them…• They endorsed and want more heads to adopt…

1. The school food ambassador; The Leeds packed lunch policy

2. The FSM toolkit

Source: Data taken from range of student age groups, by using a various research methods – focus groups, creative arts, questionnaires, surveys etc...

Our parents said…

– Did not feel confident to speak to school– Do not consider school food offered value for money -

expensive– Often not aware of the school offer e.g. the menu – Concerned about risk of FSM stigma (often own

experience)– Not sure if food was culturally appropriate / safe for

child.– Schools don’t restrict packed lunch choices– Often school runs out of food or the last child does not

get what expected for my money…

Why promote FSM school meal

• FSM students are often below the Leeds attainment average, and data shows they may also be…

– Looked after children– Children with special education needs– Children from some ethnic groups – Children excluded from school

Why promote access to healthy school meal?

• Healthy school meals can increase achievement by up to 8% in Key Stage 2 Science, and reduce absenteeism by 15%. (M Belot, M James 2009)

• Poor diet impairs learning with immediate effect on behaviour, concentration and cognitive ability. (Benton, 2001; A. Sorhaindo, L.

Feinstein, 2006; DCSF, 2007)

• FSM pupils get a higher % of their daily nutrients from a school meal, & is often the only substantial meal of the day. (Gregory et al 2000; Holdford. A. 2012)

– Families hide food to avoid hunger during non-term time (Barnardos2 007)

• Impact on readiness to learn start of term (local observations).

• Only 1% packed lunches meet the government nutritional standards (Ofsted, 2011; Cade, 2009; Rogers, 2007)

Why promote school meals…

Healthy school meal Impact of austerity

• Forecast by 2016 relative child poverty is set to increase by 400,000 and absolute poverty by 500,000…– Impact on the middle income

families.. – Leeds predict 4,000 children

will fall intro poverty

Institute of Fiscal Studies The impact of austerity measures on households with children January 2012

Malnutrition: Vitamin D deficiency

• UK Rickets eradicated in the 1940’s:– 140% increase between 2001 and

2009.

• Attributed to:– reduced exposure to sunlight. – decrease in dietary intake of

Vitamin D (eggs, milk and fish)Source: N, Clarke 2011 Southampton General Hospital

Free resources and guidance documents available

free to all school & academies

The HUB Leeds CC

http;//www.leeds.gov.uk/schoolmealshttp://www.thefamilyhubleeds.org/schoolmeals.html

Increasing FSM take-up

Aligned to government food standards to make all children the same

Healthier packed lunches

A Fun game to learn about healthy school meal

We did some follow up research of schools who have implemented the SFA programme: her are the key findings:

The report is available from

Rosemary.molinari@leeds.gov.uk

How does the SFA work..

• Key stage 2, 3 students apply for post or elected; interviewed by their peers

• Ambassadors become school food experts, and required to conduct blind audits on the menu and dining experience by:– Gathering evidence; speaking to other children, cook

– Making general observations; noise, waste etc..

– Analyse data for report; describe findings, make recommendations, how they can all help together.

– Feedback; Leadership team commit to respond and link to other structures e.g. school councils

– Outcome: Action plan informed and taken forward by whole school

What the ambassadors have to say…

• “If they show trust in us, and accept the fact that we can make a difference. “If

students don’t think they get the trust of the teachers they will not put themselves forward. If we know we are getting their support, we are happy to help, and we are able to pass it on when we leave”.

(Boy 16 yr.)

What the ambassadors have to say…(9-10 yrs.)

‘It’s good that we get a say in our school food.’

“We changed things we don’t like.”

‘I feel proud, and more confident.’

‘I like making the school a better place.’

“I know more people, and I have made more friends.”

“I like how people look up to you and respect your role.”

Why pupils choose to be ambassadors

“I wanted to play a part in school to make it better”

“Because they will be healthier, and it could help you to learn better”

“Because it helps you to eat better and healthier”

“Because we help other children and give advice on healthy eating”

“I want to help others make healthier lunch instead of lots of chocolate”

What the cook had to say…

• “I was not happy about it, it was ridiculous, and that they would be

checking up on me, but as it’s gone on it’s working pretty well; I

have seen a change of opinion and the children get more involved.

The audits help flag things up, and given me a chance to sort things

out.”

A primary school head teacher

• “Pupil led school lunches have led to a direct uptake of free school meals and

improved lunch times for all our children. The project has had an overwhelming

impact on our afternoon lessons providing a smoother transition from dining

to learning. The project is simple and easy to organise with significant results, just

hand it all to the children and off you go!”

•  

A Yr. 11 high school ambassador said…

• “We would like to visit our local primary schools and present the process to the

children, or have them come to the school to ‘tell em’ how SFA can make a difference, and so they know Secondary school is not as bad as they think, and they are not the

bottom of the food chain – and their opinions do count”.

The success factors are for…

• Students: Because they feel important, peer kudos, power to make change, develops listening, talking, thinking skills; educates healthy eating to make informed choices; builds trust, self-esteem, confidence, make friends and experience long-term work-life skills; look forward to coming to school and feel important…

• Catering: Because they feel part of the school; connect with the client; identify and solve barriers together; establish bespoke school food menu (maintain standards); increase take-up.

• School Leadership: Because it provides effective contract management; it’s flexible for local needs; develops staff confidence/leadership skills; promotes pupil voice; engages pupils in education; can buddy SEN/FSM/LAC/GRT/BME pupils; improves the quality of food / dining experience; increases take up; re-invest profit; engage parents; self perpetuating; promotes FSM take up; promotes attendance & pupil premium awards

• LCC: Because it helps tackle child poverty, obesity with measurable outcomes with performance accountability; demonstrates a child friendly city

Project lead officer

“It gave me a sense of pride to see things working and taking effect: you feel oh wow - we really are getting

somewhere here”.

‘Things have changed for the better by everyone and it has helped

children to learn about policy and campaigning for change”.

General slides …..

This LOGO was developed by harehills ambasadors to inform government The All Party Parliament Group for school food – the pupil said….

“You really need to stop and listen to us; we are the voice of the pupils and we know what we

want, we know it is hard work, but this is

what we want.”

LOGO created by Christina Xaviour – Yr. 6 student from Leeds Harehills primary School (2012)

• This free guide has been created and designed to enable schools to read and implement.

• If you would like help, support or training on how to set up a food ambassadors

• programme email go to schoolwellbeing@leeds.gov.uk

A summary illustration of the three phases of developing the Leeds school meal strategy and action plan; underpinned by research to inform the many school meal resources & toolkits to improve school food and support local priorities.

Message from Rosemary Molinari the creator of SFA:

‘We have a duty of care to provide our children the opportunity, skills and knowledge to make an informed

decision about the choices they make about their school meal. Especially how it can help improve learning outcomes. The ambassador programme provides this opportunity and

enables them to take the lead on improving access to a

healthy school meal on behalf of the whole school’.

• Thank you