This is the second progress report on Hungry for Success. It includes evidence from primary, special and secondary schools. The report finds that Hungry for Success has been successful in meeting many of its aims. There have been notable improvements in the quality of school meals in Scotland. Improvements in the nutritional quality of meals have been accompanied by greater encouragement and opportunity to eat healthily. In particular, primary schools have continued to make good progress in achieving improvements and establishing healthy eating firmly within the context of heath promotion.
Progress in secondary schools has been slower. In part this relates to a lack of priority and urgency in implementing Hungry for Success in secondary schools. In part it relates to the influence of adolescent culture with its increased peer, societal and commercial pressures and greater freedom to go beyond school grounds at lunchtimes.
The period of successful implementation of Hungry for Success has unfortunately been paralleled by increasing levels of childhood obesity and inactivity and a greater awareness of the impact of these on the lives of children and young people in Scotland. This report therefore makes proposals on two fronts. Firstly, it makes recommendations to achieve the effective implementation of Hungry for Success across all schools and identifies a range of good practice, which will support local authorities and schools in securing continuous improvement. HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) will share good practice by holding a conference and by sharing video clips on our good practice website. In time, this will be included in the Journey to Excellence resource. Secondly, the concluding section raises the question of whether Hungry for Success, even if implemented well across all schools, will, on its own, be sufficient to address our current problems. It calls for the further development of the policy framework for health and nutrition, including possible limitations on choice and an increased focus on the responsibilities of a wide range of contributors.
I commend this report to you in the hope that it will be used to improve the health and nutrition of Scotland’s children and young people.
Graham Donaldson
HM Senior Chief Inspector
January 2008