Snacks for children in nursery education

Public comment in reaction to the imposition of changes required following the audit of how schools dealt in the past with the funding of snacks  has implied that the Council has banned snacks, whereas we have acted to stop families being inappropriately charged for snacks.

 The Council required to make changes because the audit report found that some schools had been making charges to families that were outwith what is reasonable, involving processes which were in some cases in breach of financial regulations and  that could not be justified in terms of accountability for public funds.

The letter sent to all head teachers with nursery provision required them to cease charging parents for snack s.  It did not require head teachers to cease providing food items as part of curricular activity. If foodstuffs are to be offered as part of curricular activity then from now on this will need to be funded via the school budget or as with many activities offered, through fundraising efforts.  

Schools are also supplied with free milk and funding towards the purchase of fruit and vegetables. All pre school education providers in Highland receive funding from NHS Highland’s health improvement programme currently marketed as “Fun with Fruit and Vegetables”, the aim of which is to encourage children to enjoy eating more fruit and vegetables. This year the amount provided to preschool education providers towards the purchase of fruit is £5.83 per pupil per year. 

Children of pre school age attending a registered nursery or childcare provision are entitled to 1/5 of a litre of milk free of charge via the nu rsery milk fund paid for by Central Gov ernment. In Highland ,  a company called Cool Milk arrange delivery to the majority of Highland Council nurseries and Partners providers through a contract with local dairies. Nine very rural local authority nurseries do not receive deliveries but purchase milk locally and are reimbursed by the NMRU (Nursery Milk Reimbursement Unit