In order to implement Healthy Eating policies and provide fresh, healthy meals that meet nutritional standards, training for school catering staff at all levels may be required.
Training will help them to:
The School Food Trust has led the way by organising a series of regional conferences for school cooks throughout 2006/07, and promoting training through their website at www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk.
Also, the Government intends to fund the establishment of a network of regional training kitchens to act as centres of excellence, for school cooks to attend on day release.
School catering qualifications
There are already some qualifications available through local colleges for school caterers:
Level 1
This qualification will help school caterers to improve pupils' nutritional intake from all food provided by the school meals service. It will also help them to understand how to provide a range of healthier meals and develop marketing ideas and material to promote healthier choices to school children.
Levels 2 and 3
From September 2006, catering staff have also been able to study units at levels 2 and 3 in food safety, preparing and cooking healthier meals and the development and introduction of recipes by taking units from the Support Work in Schools qualification (SWiS).
Find out more about the optional units for catering staff at the Training and Development Agency's website at: http://www.tda.gov.uk/support/qualificationsandtraining/vqs.aspx.
To find out about qualifications up to Level 4 in Nutrition and Food Safety, click here.
