Summary
Summary
Background
The second phase of the Fair Funding initiative for schools was introduced in 2000 and the
biggest single item delegated to secondary schools at that time was school meals funding.
Whilst grant maintained secondary schools had had responsibility for school meals for some
time, secondary schools automatically received delegated funding under the new regulations.
Many LEAs delegated school meals funding to all schools, including primary and special
schools. In LEAs that did not adopt universal delegation to all schools, primary and special
schools could opt to receive meal funding if they believed it would be advantageous.
Delegating funds for school meals to schools transferred to the governing body the statutory
requirements to supply free school meals to eligible pupils, paid meals on request and
compliance with various nutritional standards.
Aims of the study
The specific objectives of this study were to:
• identify the difficulties for LEAs and schools in moving to delegated funding
• identify examples of best practice both in administration and delivery of delegating
budgets
• look at the support and monitoring school staff and governors received to assist the
provision of meals.
• investigate the impact of the shift to delegated school meals funding on nutritional
standards and the quality of food provision in school.
The research
The study was divided into three principal strands of research.
Strand 1: Interviews with representatives from 10 interest groups with special interest or
responsibility for school meals (including national charities, catering unions and private catering
companies).
Strand 2: A review of delegation issues and practices in a sample of 12 LEAs, eight of which
had delegated all school meals funding. Interviews were conducted with LEA policy and
finance officers, central catering service managers and representatives of the local governors
association. In LEAs with a central contract with a private catering company, a representative of
the company was also interviewed where possible.
Strand 3: Case studies conducted in a sample of five secondary, four middle and six primary
schools. The selected schools included large and small schools, from rural to inner city
locations, with both high and low percentages of pupils taking free school meals. Interviews
were conducted with head teachers, bursars, catering staff and governors. Pupils were
consulted at nine schools and parents at four schools.