School Catering Advice and Support

Key Benefits

• Help and advice to make sure you are meeting legal requirements
• Termly inspections of your catering service and kitchen and dining areas, followed by a written report.
• Guidance on food purchasing, stock control, menu planning and marketing your service.
• Advice on staff recruitment, training and performance.
• Assistance in emergencies.

Service Details

This service offers:

• support to help you comply with your legal obligations and County Council policy
• termly inspections of your catering service and kitchen and dining areas. During these visits we will check that you are complying with legal requirements and County Council policies, and give you advice on meeting and maintaining Environmental Health recommendations
• a written report based on our inspection, with recommendations where necessary, and guidance on implementing a hazard analysis system – on request, we can provide this within five working days
• advice on staff recruitment and training, including setting and maintaining an appropriate staffing level
• advice on monitoring staff performance
• maintenance of your site records and premises database
• advice on healthy eating, and guidance on creating a comprehensive school food policy
• advice on health and safety requirements, including Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations
• random, unannounced visits to check performance when required (by prior agreement with your school or academy’s representative)
• guidance on food purchasing, stock control, menu planning and marketing the service
• advice on buying and maintaining equipment and specialist kitchen cleaning programmes
• advice on refurbishing kitchen and dining areas
• advice and assistance in emergencies
• prompt response to complaints and requests for advice and assistance.