News • Children's Food Campaign
Children's Food Campaign responds to Ofsted's new inspection framework
The Children's Food Campaign is calling on OFSTED to put stronger focus on healthy eating and nutrition education in the new inspection framework due to come into force from September 2019.
The Children's Food Campaign has called on OFSTED to amend the new inspection framework to ensure schools are delivering on their responsibility towards healthy eating, good food and nutrition education.
The consultation on the new OFSTED inspection framework, due to be introduced in September 2019, closed on 5 April 2019. On 10 April, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zadawi responded to a written question about what government is doing to improve schools' ability to tackle child obesity by saying, "From September 2015, Ofsted inspectors look at how provision supports pupils’ knowledge on how to keep themselves healthy, including through exercising and healthy eating and we welcome the new inspection framework which Ofsted is currently developing for September 2019. This will consider how schools build knowledge across the whole curriculum and support pupils’ personal development more broadly, including in relation to healthy behaviours".
Yet, as Children's Food Campaign and several of its members, led by School Food Matters, had previously pointed out the topic of healthy eating is hardly even on the menu in Ofsted's new draft inspection framework. This is despite huge support from parents, teachers and school governors for a national healthy schools ratings scheme, and for Ofsted to play a role in its monitoring.
The organisations have responded to the consultation to point out where clearer references to healthy eating and nutrition education would provide Ofsted inspectors with stronger direction and guidance, as the body tasked with ensuring schools meet School Food Standards, deliver on mandatory curriculum requirements on nutrition education and support pupils to develop healthy lifestyles as part of their overall personal development.
For more information:
Read the full response from the Children's Food Campaign to Ofsted's inspection framework.
Read the response from Sustain's member organisation, School Food Matters.
Read the response from the Jamie Oliver Organisations to the consultation.
Published Monday 15 April 2019
Children's Food Campaign: Better food and food teaching for children in schools, and protection of children from junk food marketing are the aims of Sustain's high-profile Children's Food Campaign. We also want clear food labelling that can be understood by everyone, including children.
