Hidden Savings, Better Outcomes: Are You Ready for 2027?

With major changes to school food on the horizon, Nick will help school business leaders, governors and those overseeing catering understand what's changing, why it matters, and how to prepare with confidence.

We'll explore how school meals can support health, learning, attendance and behaviour, before taking a practical look at the changes set to reshape school food provision.

New nutritional standards, expanded free school meal eligibility and food safety expectations bring financial and operational challenges. With stretched budgets and staffing pressures, how can schools and trusts meet new requirements while controlling costs and maintaining quality?

In this session we explore

• New nutritional standards, Benedict's Law and expanded free school meal eligibility

• The implications for budgets, staffing, kitchen capacity, catering contracts and planning

• Where hidden costs, inefficient processes and food waste may be draining resources

• The strengths and limitations of scratch, hybrid and pre-prepared catering models

• Practical steps towards September 2027 readiness while protecting quality and controlling costs

Take home points

• A clearer understanding of the reforms and what they mean for your school or trust

• Insight into the financial, operational and compliance implications

• Opportunities to reduce waste, review costs and improve efficiency

• Key questions to ask catering teams and providers, with priorities for preparing ahead

This session is for

School business leaders, CFOs, COOs, operations and estates leads, governors and senior leaders overseeing catering budgets, contracts or compliance, whether provision is managed in-house or outsourced.

Nick Childs