Three-quarters of English secondary schools breach healthy food rules, report finds
A new analysis by Bite Back, the food charity founded by Jamie Oliver, found that 75% of English secondary schools are serving chips, burgers and hash browns too often, with sweets and crisps appearing at breakfast, just before the expansion of free school meals.
Three-quarters of secondary schools in England are breaking official rules on the food they serve to pupils, with many offering chips, burgers and hash browns too frequently and some even providing sweets and crisps at breakfast, according to a new report. The analysis, carried out by the food charity Bite Back, which was set up by the chef Jamie Oliver, examined menus at almost 400 state secondary schools and uncovered what it described as “shocking” breaches of school food standards.
The findings come at a sensitive time for school food policy in England. The government is preparing to expand free school meals, and campaigners argue that the current system is failing to protect children’s health. The report’s authors said the scale of non-compliance suggested that many schools were either ignoring the standards or lacked the resources and guidance needed to meet them.
Under the School Food Standards, which apply in England, schools are required to provide healthy, balanced meals and to limit foods high in fat, salt and sugar. The rules also set out how often certain items, such as chips and other fried foods, may be served. However, the Bite Back analysis found that many schools were routinely exceeding these limits, and that breakfast provision was a particular problem area.
The charity said the breaches were especially concerning because they affected children from low-income families, who are more likely to rely on school meals as a main source of nutrition. It called on the government to strengthen enforcement of the standards and to provide better support for schools, including training for catering staff and clearer guidance on what constitutes a compliant menu.
Jamie Oliver, who founded Bite Back, said the report exposed a “postcode lottery” in school food, with some pupils receiving healthy meals while others were offered food that fell short of legal requirements. He urged ministers to act before the expansion of free school meals, warning that the policy would only succeed if the food on offer was genuinely healthy.
The report also highlighted wider concerns about the impact of poor school food on children’s health, including rising rates of obesity and dental problems. Previous research has linked unhealthy school meals to lower academic performance and behavioural issues, and campaigners say the new findings add to the case for urgent reform.
A spokesperson for the Department for Education said the government was committed to improving school food and had recently updated the standards to make them clearer. They added that schools were expected to comply with the rules and that local authorities had powers to take action where breaches were found. However, the Bite Back report suggests that enforcement is patchy and that many schools are not being held to account.
The charity is now calling for a mandatory reporting system, so that parents can see what their children are being offered, and for Ofsted to include school food compliance in its inspections. It also wants the government to invest in training and equipment for school kitchens, arguing that many schools would struggle to meet the standards without additional support.
The report’s publication is likely to intensify pressure on the government as it prepares to roll out free school meals to more pupils. Ministers have said the expansion is a key part of their plan to reduce child poverty and improve health, but critics argue that the policy will be undermined if the food served does not meet basic nutritional requirements.
