The Educator Magazine U.K. September - December 2025 issue. - Magazine - Page 38
Cooking the Books:
Why do We Expect Caterers to Manage Our Schools' Supply Chain Finances?
We would never ask a maths teacher
to rewire the school’s electrics.
Nor would we expect a history
teacher to fix the boiler between
lessons. So why do so many schools
and academies expect their catering
teams to manage complex
procurement processes and
supplier finances?
Seb Godwin, co-founder of Procure
Education, asks this very question, and from
experience, offers five ways in which schools
can streamline their procurement processes,
without compromising the quality of what’s
dished up for our children.
School catering is often seen as a selfcontained service - which will keep running
smoothly so long as the food appears on
plates and budgets remain, largely, in check.
But behind the scenes, it’s rarely that simple.
Catering in education is subject to the same
market forces as restaurants and large-scale
hospitality, not least fluctuating food prices,
supply chain delays, shifting dietary
regulations, and the ongoing challenge of
meeting nutritional standards while keeping
costs manageable.
There have been positive moves recently,
however, with the Government announcing
that all children in families who get Universal
Credit in England will receive free school
meals, and from September 2025, schools will
receive more per meal. But it’s only 3p more,
with a rise from £2.58 per meal, to £2.61. In
fact, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the
National Association of Head Teachers, said
in The Guardian the existing rate was already
below the estimated £3.16 a day it costs
schools in England to provide a hot meal - a
shortfall of 55p per meal.
So where’s that 55p coming from? We are all
well aware that individual schools are picking
up the bill in many cases which impacts
budgets elsewhere. Does that mean fewer
books, older PCs or inadequate equipment
for the football or netball team?
Likewise, TES reports on a recent survey by
the Local Authority Caterers Association
(LACA), which found that 77% of caterers had
to change menus due to rising prices and
shortages - 19% were worried they could no
longer meet standards.
The numbers just don’t add up, as illustrated
in this infographic which compares the 11.5%
rise in free school meals (FSM) provision over
the past five years, with the cost of living
increases in the same period. Eggs alone have
gone up by about 48%.
More often than not, the responsibility for
managing these financial and logistical
hurdles is passed to the school catering team,
often without giving them the tools,
or procurement expertise they need. And
from what we have all too often witnessed,
pressures mount, quality can slip, and neither
the caterer nor the school leadership gets
what they truly want - nutritious, high-quality
meals at the best possible value.
We’ve met many catering teams, and they
are all brilliant at what they do, and have the
children’s welfare at heart, but change is
needed. Procurement should be seen as
a strategic function - one that demands
professional oversight, market insight, and
a level of independence from day-to-day
catering.
Here’s how we have seen schools and
academies take back control of catering
procurement, without taking on unnecessary
risk or extra workload.
1. Conduct regular audits
Regular, independent audits go deeper,
reviewing menu quality, cost efficiency,
supplier sourcing, and compliance. It’s not
about catching caterers out, it’s about
ensuring value for money and spotting
opportunities for improvement.
For example, an audit might reveal a certain
supplier’s price per unit has crept up over
the past two years, with no corresponding
increase in quality. Or that portion sizes are
inconsistent, leading to both waste and
budget inefficiencies. By addressing these
findings early, schools can make informed
adjustments that keep budgets healthy
without compromising quality.
2. Use data-driven insights
In many schools, catering decisions are still
made based on tradition, “We’ve always used
this supplier” or “The pupils seem happy
enough.” But in an environment where
budgets are under constant pressure, those
assumptions can be costly.
By analysing everything from ingredient
prices and supplier reliability to pupil
satisfaction surveys, procurement teams
can pinpoint where the real value lies.
Routine feedback and cost analytics can
shape sourcing and budgeting. For example,
a school might discover through survey data
that pupils are consistently leaving certain
side dishes untouched. Replacing or adjusting
these items can reduce waste and free up
budget to improve the quality of higherdemand items.
3. Outsource tendering with confidence
Tendering for catering contracts can be a
minefield. Between navigating dietary
requirements, budgeting constraints,
Compliance with regulations, and negotiating
terms with suppliers, the process can
consume enormous amounts of leadership
time - time that should be focused on
education, not red tape.
By outsourcing tender management to
procurement experts, schools can streamline
the process while ensuring they still get the
best deal. Professional tendering services
ensure contracts are tailored to the school’s
specific needs, from allergen-safe kitchens to
sustainable sourcing commitments.
4. Stay compliant and safe with food
standards
Food safety and compliance is nonnegotiable, but its complexity is no secret.
Regulations such as HACCP (Hazard Analysis
and Critical Control Points), COSHH (Control
of Substances Hazardous to Health), and strict
allergen controls must be followed to the
letter.
Non-compliance can lead to serious health
risks, legal penalties, and reputational
damage. But expecting in-house caterers
to carry the full weight of these regulatory
requirements is unrealistic.
Working with CIEH-registered (Chartered
Institute of Environmental Health) experts
ensures compliance is proactively monitored
and maintained, without creating
additional strain on internal teams. It also
provides reassurance to parents, governors,
and local authorities that the school is
meeting the highest possible standards.
5. Treat caterers as partners, not finance
managers
This final point might be the most important,
in that caterers are there to deliver great food,
not to juggle supply chain finances.
When schools place procurement
responsibility on caterers, it often forces
them into a role they neither sought nor
trained for. By shifting procurement
responsibilities back to school leadership or to dedicated procurement specialists caterers can focus on what they do best.
The cost-of-living crisis has put
unprecedented pressure on school budgets,
while rising food prices and global supply
chain instability continue to squeeze catering
services. At the same time, pupil wellbeing
has never been more in focus, with nutrition
playing a key role in concentration, behaviour,
and overall health.
By taking a strategic, professional approach,
schools can protect both their budgets and
the quality of meals pupils receive. The model
works because it blends market knowledge
with sector-specific expertise.
By conducting regular audits, embracing
data, outsourcing tendering, ensuring
compliance, and respecting the boundaries
of caterers’ roles, schools can achieve that
elusive balance of affordability without
compromise.
