Read again: Catering contractors versus in-house: Which is right for you?

Rebecca Cunliffe has experience reviewing catering options for several settings: from external providers to bringing services in house. In this article, she sets out the process for ensuring the right decision for the right reasons to achieve quality and value for money in school meals

Blank sheets of paper are terrifying for some people – but to evaluate your provision I believe this is the only way. Clear your mind of the day-to-day niggles and start by writing a list of the areas you need to consider and the impact on you and your team of bringing the service in-house.

Included in this list should be;

Staff – skills, experience, attendance and motivation to provide high quality food. Who will line manage the staff? Do you think the current team can run the kitchen and have they got the drive and qualifications to do this?

Food – where will you source this from? Consider storage availability, quantities needed and cost. You can easily obtain price lists for supplies and using the current menu carry out a cost planning exercise and work out the cost per meal. Pay particular attention to allergens, the cheapest options may have ingredients that differ from the more expensive choices.

Premises – does the school own the equipment? Is the kitchen and equipment fit for purpose or will you need to invest to improve?  (Include these costs in the business plan).

Training – have all the staff leading the kitchen (i.e. cook and head of service) got their Food Hygiene Level 3 certificate?  Have all other staff got their Level 2 certificate?  If you have welfare staff, they should complete their Level 1 training.

Uniforms – you will need to provide uniforms for all the staff including safety footwear.

Next, you will need to consider your options. These might be;

• Agree improvements and / or changes with your current provider and set up regular meetings to monitor the service
• Go out to tender – there are companies that can support you with this process, you need to understand the details of the service and write a tender outline for companies to consider and apply for
• Bring the service in-house (refer to the list above) there are companies out there who will support you with this process if you are not confident enough to go it alone

By answering the above questions, you are writing your business plan and the right option should become obvious.  When I brought the service in house it was because the staff were incredible – they had lots of experience and a drive to improve school meals and the choices offered.  We ensured we met the school food standards and used local suppliers.  The office team were skilled and ambitious and willing to learn new ways of working.  All the stars aligned, and I just knew it was right for us.  In my current school we use an external contractor and receive a good service, that is the right option for my school right now.

Only you, the leadership team and governors can agree what is the best way forward for your provision.  All students, staff and visitors deserve to be offered good quality food, a variety of choices and good service.

Once you have decided which option is best for you, make sure you have scheduled meetings with all staff affected so any concerns can be addressed quickly and if you decide to bring the service in house make sure that whoever the ‘school manager’ of the provision will be is fully trained and ready for the challenge.