HES 28 - National Federation of Women's Institutes Wales

Response to the consultation - Proposed Healthy Eating in Schools Measure

The NFWI has a long-standing history of commitment to improving the nation’s diet and health.  At the 2003 NFWI AGM,members passeda resolution urging HM Government to regulate the promotion to children of foods that contribute to an unhealthy diet and to ensure increased opportunities for exercise and practical food education in schools.

Since the removal of cooking skills from the National Curriculum in 1996, NFWI-Wales has been calling for practical food education to be reinstated.  Since 1996 WI members have been delivering Get Cooking courses to vulnerable groups in their areas.  Most recently, between 2005 – 2007, seven Federations were involved in running courses for disadvantaged young people aged 14-25 years. NFWI-Wales is currently supporting the Welsh Assembly Government’s Cooking Bus initiative by organising Get Cooking courses for parents targeted through the Cooking Bus.

NFWI-Wales welcomes this proposed measure to promote healthy eating in schools and supports the key provisions set out.

We believe that encouraging take up of school meals is important in ensuring that children receive a well-balanced diet.  However we are concerned that while there are less healthy menu choices available, children will continue to choose these less healthy options.  We would suggest that the less healthy options are gradually removed from the menu.

It should be noted that take up on school meals is often low because of queuing and dining facilities.  Poor kitchen facilities exist in many schools and in some cases school kitchens may be non-existent.  We are concerned by the statement made under point 8.57 of the Explanatory Memorandum that the Welsh Assembly Government “do not have a complete picture of the position…” in relation to the standards of school kitchens and dining rooms.

It is important that pupils can access and consume their food in a conducive atmosphere and whilst we acknowledge that these issues will be covered by regulations made by Welsh Ministers or Welsh Assembly Government, we believe that it is vital that these are effectively addressed if this Measure is to make a difference. We also note that no provision has been made to monitor food waste.  A pupil may have a nutritionally balanced meal on their plate but may not eat it.

Protection of the identity of children receiving free school meals is very important and we hope will totally prevent any member of staff, teaching or non-teaching, ever saying “Queue here for free meals tickets”.

We strongly agree that freely available drinking water should be a duty. Healthy eating and drinking begins with an adequate amount of drinking water and this cannot be over emphasised. A Governors’ Report should be proud to proclaim that the pupils at their school would never be refused a drink of water.

We do however disagree with the need to provide water coolers in schools.  The NFWI believes that water should be from filtered main supplies and that hygiene should be considered when choosing the placement of the water points. Plastic bottle drinks should be avoided where possible – both to avoid the risk of chemicals in the plastic bottles leaching into its contents and for environmental purposes.

NFWI-Wales believes that in order to promote healthy eating generally, it is imperative that changing young people’s perception of food includes practical work to learn about food and basic cooking skills. Food theory is no substitute to practical food education.  In terms of learning, there is considerable support for the proposition that activity is important.  Learning, particularly regarding food skills is better when the learner is active rather than passive.  In addition it is argued that frequent practice – and if possible, practice in varied contexts, is necessary for learning to take place.

NFWI-Wales’ Gardening with Schools project has supported over 100 primary schools to develop their school gardens.  Many projects have involved the growing of vegetables – children in particular enjoyed tasting the produce they had grown.  Both this project and Get Cooking have made a contribution to encouraging healthy eating.

Design and Technology is traditionally the place where food skills are taught.  We would suggest that an allowance is allocated to free school meal pupils to buy ingredients for practical food lessons.

When comprehensive schools run special days such as Health Education days, care should be taken by senior teachers, heads of year or any teacher involved with staffing the healthy eating lessons.   It is not good enough to pay ‘lip-service’ to this topic.  A small budget should be allocated for fresh food and a suitable environment should be chosen so that pupils’ interest is maintained, for example, a food technology room.

The majority of meals eaten by children are in the home. Food consumed at school only forms a part of a child’s diet.  NFWI-Wales is concerned that whilst this measure may achieve its overall purpose and aim of enabling a holistic, comprehensive ‘made in Wales’ policy on nutrition in schools to be developed and implemented, unless parents are also receiving the messages on healthy eating and providing their children with a well-balanced diet, this Measure will have little impact on improving the general health and well-being of children.  

It is essential to educate parents about the importance of healthy eating and for them to play their part in influencing their children to consume healthy meals at home as well. Influences in the home can greatly impact on the decisions children make with regard to food consumption.

During the delivery of the WI Get Cooking courses, it was found that the courses targeted at young mothers had the greatest impact in changing behaviour as the mothers were able to use the skills they had gained into practice when preparing meals for the family.

NFWI-Wales would suggest that schools initiate programmes on helping inform parents on how to improve the nutritional value of home meals.  We would also welcome a government-led education campaign that will help inform consumers about healthy diets and enable them to make informed choices about the food they eat.

NFWI-Wales believes that if implemented, the proposed Assembly Measure will achieve its overall purpose and aim.