Defra confirmed to the NFU last year that they intend to replace the EU school milk scheme with a domestic scheme, following our exit from the EU. The report is timely contribution to our lobbying work on school milk, with Defra due to consult on future school milk subsidy later this year. The NFU is currently consulting with our members and industry stakeholders to form a clear view on a future domestic school milk scheme. Members are welcome to send through views to the Dairy Team.
The report contains new research which finds that only 55% of primary aged children in the UK are currently drinking milk at school, with consumption levels declining further among pre-schoolers and especially in children aged nine and older. The report finds that over a quarter of parents (28%) say the main reason their kids are not drinking milk in school is because they are unaware their children are eligible for free or subsided milk, despite parents citing milk as a healthy and nutritious drink.
NFU Dairy Board Chairman Michael Oakes said: “The NFU continues to lobby to improve access to high quality, nutritious British dairy products for children in schools. School milk is important to dairy farmers not only because it provides our children with beneficial nutrients such as calcium, iron and multiple vitamins, but also because it can help to shape the consumption trends of the future and we are acutely aware that young people are eating fewer dairy products.
"Following the Brexit vote, we have been clear that it is vital any domestic agricultural policy recognises as we do, the importance of school milk for nutrition and developing early consumption habits.”
Report calls for milk to be made available for all Reception children in England
The report finds there is overwhelming support for free school milk with 89% of parents and 93% of teachers saying all children in Reception should be eligible for free school milk, even if they are aged five. The report calls for free school milk to be made available for all Reception children in England for the complete school year instead of cutting access at each child’s 5th birthday as is currently the case. The current model makes it complicated for teachers to administer; it is unfair on some children who are suddenly unable to drink milk, like many of their peers, and children are missing out on important nutrients that they would have received through their daily portion of milk.
“With more than one in five children during their first year of primary school being overweight or obese rising to more than a third by the time they start secondary school, there is a renewed focus on children’s eating habits,” said Stefan Fageräng, Managing Director North West Europe at Tetra Pak. “Children need a healthy balanced diet and as milk is a rich source of protein, calcium, Vitamin B12 and iodine, it is and should continue to be, a key part of our children’s daily diet for a healthier future. School milk needs to be safeguarded and policy best practice shared across different parts of the UK to encourage greater uptake.”
Encourage schools to make milk available throughout the school day
The independent research found that whilst government and European milk schemes provide valuable support and ultimately nutritional benefit, these have not guaranteed that all school children have access to milk at school. The report recommends schools are further encouraged to make milk available throughout the school day. The research found that currently 30% of teachers say their school is not making low fat milk available at least once a day, despite guidance to do so included within the School Food Standards. As Edward Timpson, the Education Minister, acknowledged in a recent parliamentary debate on access to milk in educational settings, “the Government encourages schools to follow the standards… as they reflect exactly what it wants to see happen in schools for the good of children.”
The report suggests making single portion milk servings available as a mid-morning snack would encourage children to drink milk, while making it simpler to distribute. While milk is provided with free school meals, qualitative research conducted with over 200 children in Warwickshire indicated that some children find milk is too filling to accompany meals and is better consumed as a snack at break time.
“Providing chilled milk in individual cartons during the mid-morning break is the best way for schools to meet the obligations set out in the School Food Standards. This helps ensure that milk is provided in a way which appeals to school children, who are able to enjoy a nutritious and tasty drink to keep them going until lunch,” said Dr Hilary Jones, spokesperson for the School & Nursery Milk Alliance.
Clearer guidance is needed about recommended levels of intake
Recent changes to the Eatwell Guide have resulted in questions around recommended dairy intake. The proportion in the Guide allocated for dairy products is less than in previous years, however milk is listed as a recommended drink. The report recommends ensuring all nurseries and schools are communicating to parents, kids and teachers about the recommended types of milk, daily portion sizes and benefits of milk. Information should be provided for parents to improve awareness about their right to ask for free or subsidised milk and how they might easily be able to secure this for their children. This could be via SMS, the school website or newsletter.
Over 90% of parents are happy with every aspect of school milk including the choice, price, packaging and quantity. However, there is always room for improvement with almost a quarter (24%) of parents wanting to link ‘milk time’ to story time and around one in five want it linked to an educational activity (18%). Teachers believe that milk time could be improved with more choice of different types of milk (26%), more recycling bins (38%) and for milk to be less messy or only given out on demand (25%).
The report can be read in full here.