News from the net
Article Type: News from the net From: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Volume 13, Issue 1
New report – “Good food for all” in England
Independent research, summarised in this new report, reveals the success of five years of the “Food for Life Partnership”. The partnership is working with over 3,800 schools and communities across England to transform food culture.
The evidence from three independent research studies focuses in particular on four main areas of impact: children’s health, tackling inequalities,improving education, and local enterprise and sustainability.
Key findings include:
More than twice as many FFLP primary schools received an Ofsted rating of outstanding following their participation (37.2 percent compared to 17.3 percent outstanding pre-enrolment), and head-teachers reported a positive impact on pupil behaviour, attention and attainment.
The programme is associated with changes in eating habits, with an increase in the proportion of primary school-age children reporting eating five portions of fruit or vegetables a day by 5-21 percent (those reporting eating four or more portions rose by 12-49 percent).
In addition, 45 percent of parents said the family is eating more vegetables,with 43 percent switching to healthier and more sustainable choices in the shopping basket:
Disadvantaged pupils are benefiting – over a two-year period, free school meal take-up went up 13 percentage points in FFLP schools, 20.9 percent in secondary schools, and by 21 percent across the board in schools achieving the Silver or Gold Award.
Over £3 in social, economic and environmental value was created for every £1 spent on Food for Life menus, mostly in the form of new jobs in the local economy.
The report is available at: www.soilassociation.org/Takeaction/Schoolfood/TheimpactoftheFoodforLifePartnership/tabid/1525/Default.aspx
