A new report finds that most secondary schools in England are breaking government rules on the healthiness of food served to pupils. The analysis, carried out by the charity Bite Back using data from inspections and school food provision, examines almost 400 state secondary schools.
The report says around three-quarters of schools breach the standards, including serving items such as chips, burgers and hash browns more often than allowed. It also highlights concerns about sweets and crisps being offered at breakfast in some schools. The findings are presented as a problem in the lead-up to the planned expansion of free school meals.
Outlets describe the breaches as serious and use strong language to characterise the scale of non-compliance. However, coverage is broadly aligned on the core point: a majority of schools do not meet the specified nutrition rules for items and frequency, as identified through the charity’s review of school food practices.
