Food in Schools across Scotland

Analyse the evidence using the reflective questions to help initiate discussions and support further exploration of the effectiveness of your curriculum, learning and teaching in making a difference for children and young people. What does it tell you about what is working well, what needs to be improved and what you might stop doing?  Is the evidence accurate, reliable and relevant? Compare evidence from different sources to confirm your view. What themes emerging?

Reflective questions

• How well do catering and education staff, children and young people, understand current dietary advice and use this to develop whole school food policies or approaches? How well is this articulated to the whole school community to ensure a shared approach?
• Is food as a context for learning well understood throughout our schools, for example, considering snacks brought into or provided in school, packed lunches, treats and rewards, drinks in class, food and drinks at school events, snacks in pupil support groups, wrap-around-care services, breakfast provision, the cultural context of the school, practical food activities or enterprise activities?
• How well do food provision and practice across the school day, and food as a context for learning present consistent messages to children and young people about the relationship between food, health and wellbeing? What evidence supports our view? How can we demonstrate that children and young people are actually making these connections?
• How effective is our sustainable practice? Do we share the difference we are making through food provision and food as a context for learning?
• How well do we use our school meals service and dining experience to enrich the experiences of learners?
• How effective are promotional and other activities such as the roles of pupil helpers, themed lunches and links with learning?
• What impact is the participation of children and young people having on the quality of their experiences and outcomes?