Research finds alternative education settings need tailored guidance and extra funding to support their students to have a healthy diet

Research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has found that alternative education settings, such special schools and pupil referral units, need tailored guidance and extra funding to support their students to have a healthy diet. 

The researchers, who visited settings and spoke to students, families and school staff, discovered that: 

• Many schools were serving foods high in fat, sugar, and salt too often during the school day 
• 7 out of 8 schools were serving too many foods like chips, potato wedges and hashbrowns 
• 6 out of 8 schools were providing chocolate desserts, cakes, biscuits and pastries too often 
• Only 3 out of 8 schools had fruit or vegetables available across the whole school day (not just at lunch) 

The research also found that schools found it difficult to provide a nutritious menu that students liked, especially as some students could only eat a small number of foods. Other barriers were also identified, such as the sensory challenges created by eating environments and challenges in educating children about healthy eating due to lack of suitable equipment or resources. 

A series of recommendations have emerged from the research, including recognition that: 

• Alternative education schools need tailored guidance and extra funding to support their students to have a healthy diet 
• School food guidance needs to be inclusive so it considers the needs of all students. 
• Schools need guidance on ways to include students in decisions on school food. 

The researchers, who are from The University of Birmingham, Northumbria University and The University of Edinburgh, are now working with settings and families to identify what support is needed. 

Find out more at: www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/projects/feast-project 

nasen will be hosting a Twilight Talk on 12 February at 16:00 to discuss the research and its findings in more detail. To find out more and sign up, visit: https://nasen.org.uk/events/twilight-talk-school-food-experiences-special-and-alternative-provision-schools