Response to the consultation - Proposals for Healthy Eating in Schools Measure

Response submitted by: ASCL (Association of School and College Lecturers) Cymru

Steve Bowden
T: 01443 682137
E: sb@porthcountycommunity.rhondda.sch.uk

Gareth Jones, Secretary ASCL Cymru
T: 07738 803206
E:gareth.jones@ascl.org.uk

General Points

We presented a detailed response to the Appetite for Life consultation.

We welcome the opportunity to submit a response to the National Assembly for Wales.

1. The proposed may assist schools in promoting a holistic approach to healthy eating but initiatives such as the Healthy Schools Award is likely to have more impact in schools as it is a clear bench mark of the work that is being undertaken in the school to promote healthy eating as well as a healthy lifestyle.  

2. The challenges of introducing nutritional standards is that it may ensure the quality of school meals but it will not address the fundamental issues that students will make their own choices about what they eat and will increasingly purchase more food outside of the school and bring it in to school. For students on free school meals it will assist them providing they take up their entitlement.

3. The creation of exclusion zones around schools in terms of preventing mobile vendors from parking outside of school gates.

4. The opportunity to encourage the greater use of locally produced and sourced foods is important to the economy of Wales.

5. The duty placed on headteachers to report in writing is an additional burden. The Healthy Schools Award ensures schools report back on progress but it encourages developments which are innovative and have an impact on learning.  Headteachers are more likely to respond to curriculum developments and sharing practice than creating an ‘audit’ type report.

6. The duties placed, in particular, on ESTYN are increasing their policing role in schools. How will the increase in healthy eating be inspected? Do we create the lunch box inspection process that occurred in some schools in England.

7. Yes – any additional work will require time and resources to be diverted from a currently limited budget which is not growing to meet the needs of the children of Wales.  

We support the healthy eating agenda, but we must remember that in secondary schools we are dealing with young adults who are discerning consumers who must be offered quality and quantity at fair prices.  

Pleas provide the means whereby we can address these issues and we will encourage change; not force feed our young people a diet that is restrictive and lacks choice and variety.