Health and nutrition inspection evidence highlights strengths and areas for improvement
New inspection evidence shows a broadly positive picture of health and nutrition provision in Scotland's schools, with all schools inspected in 2024-25 meeting their statutory duties under the Health Promotion and Nutrition Act 2007.
Health and Nutrition Inspectors visited 74 schools across 29 local authorities, including primary, secondary and special schools.
Inspectors found strong commitment to promoting school meals, supporting free meal entitlement and providing access to free drinking water. Most schools inspected met almost all nutrient standards (77%) and food and drink standards (81%).
The evidence also highlights effective practice where food, health and wellbeing are embedded across the wider school community through partnership working, nutrition education and initiatives that support healthy eating.
However, the findings identify areas for improvement, including increasing staff awareness of food and drink standards, reducing the use of non-compliant foods as rewards and developing more whole-school food policies. Only 10 of the 74 schools inspected had a whole-school food policy in place.
Ruth Binks, HM Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland said: “Our findings show that the strongest practice is found where schools take a whole-school approach to food, nutrition and health promotion, bringing together catering staff, education staff, families and partners to support positive outcomes for learners.
"While the overall picture is positive, there is scope to improve how consistently food and drink standards are understood and applied throughout the school day. By building staff knowledge, strengthening whole-school approaches and sharing effective practice, local authorities and schools can continue to improve experiences and outcomes for children and young people."
The report concludes that while national policy expectations are largely being met, further work is needed to ensure consistent implementation of nutritional standards across the school day and to strengthen whole-school approaches to food, nutrition and health promotion.