Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes and Fair Trade Wales
Partnership Agreement - March 2015
Background
This partnership agreement aims to formalise ways of working between the Welsh Network of Healthy Schools Schemes (WNHSS) and Fair Trade Wales.
The WNHSS has been running since 1999, and 99.9% of maintained schools are now actively involved. Much early work looked at the food and drink available in schools and guidance was issued on the running of fruit tuck shops; moving to healthy vending, and the provision of water.
Fair Trade Wales has been supporting schools across Wales since 2006. This work includes helping young people understand more about issues around trade and equality, assisting teachers develop lessons and schemes of work and proving guidance for schools want to procure goods which are fairly and ethically produced. Fair Trade Wales also provides support for the Fairtrade Schools Award (it is managed and administered by the Fairtrade Foundation). There are currently 248 Fairtrade Schools in Wales and 1241 registered on the scheme.
New Legislation for Healthy Eating in Schools
In 2010 the Welsh Government produced indicators for the WNHSS National Quality Award (NQA). Schools can apply to be assessed for the NQA after achieving Phase 5 of the scheme and being actively involved in WNHSS for a minimum of 9 years. Schools must evidence a whole school approach to seven health topics, one of the health topics covers food and fitness.
The NQA indicators have specific guidance on food and drink provision this guidance was updated in 2014 following the introduction of the Healthy Eating in School (Nutritional Standards and Requirements)(Wales) Regulations 2013 (‘Healthy Eating in Schools Regulations’). These indicators are detailed below:
11.1 All food and drink offered throughout the school day is consistent with the Healthy Eating in Schools (Nutritional Standards and Requirements) (Wales) Regulations 2013 (‘Healthy Eating in Schools Regulations’).
11.2 Water is available free of charge and in a suitable location, and consumption is actively promoted.
11.3 Fruit, vegetables, water and milk are the only items offered at primary school break times.
11.4 School actively encourages the provision of healthy lunchboxes by providing information to pupils and parents.
11.5 Vending machines comply with guidance in ‘Think Healthy Vending’ and the ‘Healthy Eating in Schools Regulations’.
11.6 In schools where Young Enterprise scheme is promoted, pupils are given guidance on the appropriateness of any enterprise such that it does not undermine the ‘Healthy Eating in Schools Regulations’.
11.7 Schools actively discourage the efforts of fast-food vans/delivery services to sell food to staff or pupils during the school day, or immediately before or after the school day. Additional notes suggest that assessors should look for appropriate use of Fair Trade products.
The regulations are published here -http://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2013/1984/made
Guidance for Schools
WNNSS and Fair Trade Wales aim to enable schools to comply with the Healthy Schools scheme as well as develop their Fair Trade activities, including achieving the Fairtrade Schools Award.
Therefore we suggest that as far as the purchasing of food and drink are concerned, schools in Wales should:
· Encourage the use of fresh Fairtrade fruit in fruit-only tuck shops;
· Encourage the use of Fair Trade tea and coffee in staff rooms, and where schools offer vended tea and coffee;
· Encourage the use of Fair Trade fresh fruit and fruit juice in vending machines in secondary schools;
· Encourage the use of Fair Trade ingredients where appropriate in school meal recipes:
· In line with current Government policy, not include Fair Trade chocolate or cereal bars in the normal provision.
· Encourage the use of Fair Trade dried fruit at mealtimes only.
Schools are also able to:
· Run Fair Trade stalls encompassing all Fair Trade products at events to which parents and the wider community are invited e.g. Christmas fairs, School fetes.
· Educate about all Fair Trade products, including chocolate production, in order to influence any external purchases.
· Promotion of Fair Trade products other than food and drink products can be encouraged including Fair Trade cotton (e.g in school uniforms), Fair Trade Sports equipment (e.g footballs), Fair Trade crafts and musical instruments etc
Agreement:
The above recommendations are agreed, and the Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes and Fair Trade Wales will work to promote both programmes to schools in the following ways -.
ü WNHSS practitioners will encourage schools to work towards becoming Fairtrade Schools, ensuring healthy school requirements regarding food and drink are not compromised.
ü Fair Trade Wales will contact local healthy schools practitioners and liaise regarding implementation in schools.
ü Healthy School practitioners will seek articles about Fair Trade schools for local healthy school newsletters, and will contribute to stories for Fair Trade Wales newsletter.
ü WNHSS and Fair Trade Wales will add links to each other’s websites.
This agreement will be reviewed annually and will next take place on 1st March 2016.