Whole School Food Policy Project

Sarah Davis

Department of Health West Midlands

Are Whole School Food Policies implemented effectively in practice in primary schools in

the West Midlands?

Background

• A WSFP is an important element of the Healthy Eating Theme to meet the criteria for National Healthy Schools status

• It sets out a school’s intention for practice concerning food across the whole school day

• No. of schools who have a WSFP increased dramatically between 2005 and 2007 – 107%! (FiS survey ‘07)

• Little is known as to how effectively WSFPs are implemented in practice and whether this translates into improved food provision and environments in schools, changes in attitudes/behaviour and ultimately in improved health and well-being of children.

• Wanted to know whether WSFPs implemented effectively in practice (or self-validated as a vehicle for meeting HS standard)+ whether have an impact on health & wellbeing + to identify good practice

Overview of Project (Methods)• Extraction taken from the Healthy Schools database of all

primary schools in West Midlands who self validated that they have a WSFP (n=747)

• Random 5% sample taken (n=37)• Schools were invited, via the Local Healthy Schools Teams to

take part in the research• 22 schools agreed to participate• WSFPs requested from all 37 schools randomly selected and

each one received was scored against a set list of criteria• Questionnaire designed (+ piloted) and carried out by the

researchers in 22 participating schools: questions for Head teacher, Governor, Teachers, Pupils, Parents and School Cook/Catering Manager

• From questionnaire responses and observation, schools were given another score (same criteria) based on practice, post visit

• School environment and assessment of changes children were making across the school day (origin FiS survey) were also reported on.

Key findings• Large variation between WSFPs in the 37 schools selected• Schools who did not agree to participate in a visit generally had

lower scoring WSFPs than those schools who did• Observed practice overwhelmingly positive• Comparing the policy scoring of schools visited versus practice

scoring: practice better than policy in all but three criteria (policy on packed lunches, clarity of the curriculum surrounding food and the presence of a cooking club)

• Issues identified around schools’ engagement with parents over packed lunch policy

• Majority of schools scored highly on school environment, although concerns in a few schools around lack of promotional materials, tuck shops meeting standards for food other than lunch and the display of lunch menus

• Some issues identified around procedures for the dining room environment

• Particular areas of good practice collected from several schools. • Routinely collected data: no associations found between higher

practice scores and NCMP participation, Overweight or Obesity levels or with FSM uptake.

Recommendations

• Standardisation of the content of WSFPs to reduce large variation between schools

• Need to ensure schools’ good practice is reflected in WSFPs and represents the intentions and way forward for the school, in consultation with the whole school community

• National, regional and local Healthy Schools Teams need to work together, and with schools, to develop a more standardised approach and to improve the moderation process, particularly to overcome the issues identified with self validation (schools claiming WSFP when don’t have).

• Schools need to do more work more closely with parents to engage them in the implementation of packed lunch policy, although the overall aim should be be to promote school meals

• Could be useful to repeat project with secondary schools where potentially there are bigger issues (and try to increase participation with more resources and time)

• More sharing of good practice across local HS teams

Contacts

Sarah Davis: sarah.davis@dh.gsi.gov.uk

0121 352 5068

Catherine Goodridge:

catherine.goodridge@sandwell-pct.nhs.uk

0121 612 1460