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Some thoughts on todays letter sent to schools @vickyford and @Jochurchill4
Both of who incidentally voted against feeding FSM pupils during the school holidays https://twitter.com/ajjolley/status/1319589309603844098
Both of who incidentally voted against feeding FSM pupils during the school holidays https://twitter.com/ajjolley/status/1319589309603844098
Firstly the timing
The letter was drafted ahead of DFE attending a meeting with representatives and lobbyists from the school catering industry https://twitter.com/SFPAlliance/status/1319223118775410694?s=20
The letter was drafted ahead of DFE attending a meeting with representatives and lobbyists from the school catering industry https://twitter.com/SFPAlliance/status/1319223118775410694?s=20
It appears the letter to heads was a piece of meat to throw at caterers in an effort to placate them. A cost free piece of theater designed to deflect attention from the government's lack of direction
And it seems to have worked https://twitter.com/LACA_UK/status/1319235048395231233?s=20
And it seems to have worked https://twitter.com/LACA_UK/status/1319235048395231233?s=20
The timing atrocious, to talk about health benefits for pupils within days of whips rejecting calls to feed children will not go down well
Equally, the tone is one of bullying, they are clearly setting out to pressure heads into supporting the catering industry
Equally, the tone is one of bullying, they are clearly setting out to pressure heads into supporting the catering industry
SCHOOL FOOD STANDARDS
It really is ridiculous to hammer the food standards in this way
The standards are neither helpful nor especially healthy, moreover they are in the final stages of being replaced not least because the catering industry routinely ignore the them
It really is ridiculous to hammer the food standards in this way
The standards are neither helpful nor especially healthy, moreover they are in the final stages of being replaced not least because the catering industry routinely ignore the them
Ministers remind schools that the burden for monitoring the standards lies with school leaders (who obviously haven't got enough to do in the middle of a pandemic)
This is because the government ignored the recommendation to have a monitoring body
NO ONE CHECKS!
This is because the government ignored the recommendation to have a monitoring body
NO ONE CHECKS!
It's also worth noting that the DfE ministers forget (ie lie) about the fact that the standards apply to "all academies"
No matter what they say, it is still not true
Its a hang over to when Gove refused to insist on standards being written into existing funding agreements
No matter what they say, it is still not true
Its a hang over to when Gove refused to insist on standards being written into existing funding agreements
HOT MEALS
This section may as well have been written by the catering industry! it probably was TBH.
It is nothing more than ministers promoting LACA and their plans
This section may as well have been written by the catering industry! it probably was TBH.
It is nothing more than ministers promoting LACA and their plans
Finally there's a push for Drinking water
One of the significant capital spends faced by schools has been removing & replacing water fountains
Dfe have singularly failed to offer up the extra funds needed by schools
If ministers are SO concerned, they should stump up some cash
One of the significant capital spends faced by schools has been removing & replacing water fountains
Dfe have singularly failed to offer up the extra funds needed by schools
If ministers are SO concerned, they should stump up some cash
All in all, with everything else that is going on around schools & feeding children. this is a highly insensitive letter
It's nothing more than a promotion exercise for the catering industry, dumping on head teachers in order to keep the multinational catering companies happy
It's nothing more than a promotion exercise for the catering industry, dumping on head teachers in order to keep the multinational catering companies happy
I might as well highlight this final point about the two signatories
Jo Churchill MP for Bury St Edmunds claimed £43,860.28 in expenses last year
Vicky Ford claimed £51,396.73 https://twitter.com/GeorgeMonbiot/status/1319606412830560256?s=20
Jo Churchill MP for Bury St Edmunds claimed £43,860.28 in expenses last year
Vicky Ford claimed £51,396.73 https://twitter.com/GeorgeMonbiot/status/1319606412830560256?s=20
