School FEAST
School FEAST (Food Excellence And Skills Training) is a national initiative that aims to provide high quality, accessible, flexible, relevant training and assessment for those organisations involved in school meal operations and related activities.
Peterborough Regional College is a member of the East of England partnership. The other members of the Partnership are:
- East of England Showground
- Peterborough City Catering
- Norfolk County Service
- Hertfordshire County Council
- Bedfordshire County Council
- Luton Borough Council
- Thurrock Local Council
- Essex County Council
The Partnership aims, over the next 5 years, to achieve a fully qualified school food workforce in local authority provision across the eastern region. In addition, it is hoped that significant inroads will also be made into the training and qualifications of other providers, including independently run school meals.
Using funding from the School Food Trust, the Partnership is setting up a major Catering Skills Centre in conjunction with the East of England Showground. Additionally, a network of associated local training kitchens around the region will be established.
School FEAST training is undertaken through a group of skilled trainer/assessors, who follow nationally approved and recognised core and non-core training programmes and qualifications. These trainers provide support, training and quality verifying to local and regional requirements. In addition, these assessors help develop occupationally competent locally appointed trainers, based in the workplace.
Key benefits of School FEAST are:
- The development and delivery of recognised, dynamic and professional training programmes for the Healthy School Food and local Well-Being agendas.
- The raising of take up rates in school meals.
- Providing value for money and efficient budgeting within school meals.
- The generation of additional income and sector programmes to ensure sustainability of the School FEAST partnership
- The strengthening of relationships between school meals providers.
- Increased access and widened participation in relevant training.
- Utilisation of a range of models for delivery and resources based on individual needs; including work based training and assessment, web based access to training and traditional off job training courses.
- Provision of further services to schools including curriculum input, supplier procurement, local food sourcing, industry expertise and training resources.