There’s more pressure on schools than ever—not just to teach, but to keep every child safe, all while trying to do more with fewer resources each year. In the UK, recent tragedies—like the loss of Benedict Blythe—have brought the issue of food allergies in schools to the forefront. Campaigns for change, such as the proposed Schools (Allergy Safety) Bill (Benedict’s Law), show what’s urgently needed: spare adrenaline auto-injectors available in schools, thorough staff training, and robust, whole-school allergy management policies.
At the same time, schools are being judged by their food hygiene rating—a public score that’s about far more than just kitchen cleanliness. A low food hygiene rating (2 or lower) is a warning sign that the school’s entire food safety system, including allergen management, may not be working as it should.
This article looks at why even a top food hygiene rating of 5 doesn’t guarantee allergy safety in schools—and why joined-up systems are what will really keep children safe.
Table of Contents
Food Hygiene Ratings—A Window Into School Food Safety
Food hygiene ratings in schools are more than a sticker on the front door or window of the premises. They represent a visible sign of how well a school manages food safety, including allergen cross-contamination, storage, labelling, risk assessment, and allergen communication. When a school receives a low hygiene rating, it may point to deeper problems—such as poor staff training, ineffective allergy policies, or risk assessments that exist only on paper.
A few months ago, we wrote about The Hidden Failures of Poor Food Hygiene Ratings in Schools. From the Food Standards Agency database, we identified 144 schools in England, and 7 schools in Wales with a rating of 2 or below.
If your school’s food hygiene rating is low (2 or below), it’s a red flag for possible gaps in how food allergens are managed.
The Pressure on Schools and Staff
Teaching now comes with extra responsibility: health and safety in schools, food allergy in schools, inspection pressures, parent anxiety, and new public awareness of food allergy deaths in schools (Benedict Blythe) and outside school (Natasha Ednan Laperouse and Owen Carey). With anaphylaxis in schools making headlines, and parent and public pressure from campaigns for Benedict’s Law, it is no surprise that expectations are higher than ever.
Yet, a survey by NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union show a gap between what’s expected for allergen safety and what’s actually happening on the ground. For example, only around 40% of teachers say their school has a full allergy policy. Worse still, 17.5% of staff have never received training on how to administer an adrenaline pen for food allergy anaphylaxis in an emergency.
Why Schools Need a Robust System For Food Allergy Management
Allergy deaths in schools are tragic—yet largely preventable with the right school food safety system. As there is no cure for food allergies, effective protection lies in having robust allergy management. This includes a school allergy policy, risk assessment to identify and control hazards, staff allergy awareness training, accessible adrenaline auto-injectors in schools, and monitoring controls to ensure the system is working effectively. The system needs to cover all areas of school life, not just school lunches, but breakfast clubs, school trips, classroom snacks, and PTA events.
A “fail” in food hygiene rating in schools usually signals a system that’s not working as it should. So if schools get their kitchen compliant with food safety law, but ignore those “off-menu” events, they’re leaving children exposed. Tragedies show that accidental exposure to food allergens can happen outside the lunch hall. Benedict Blythe died during school milk-time.
Food Safety Can Break Down Beyond School Meals
When an EHO finds a food hygiene rating in a school is 2 or below, it should trigger more than a kitchen clean-up. It should prompt a whole-school review involving senior leaders, governors, catering staff, trip organisers, and even Ofsted or Estyn.
But sadly, food hygiene ratings in schools typically focus on the school kitchen and school meals. What about breakfast clubs, cooking classes, tuck shops, or events where the school raises money? Food and drink is everywhere in school life, but these activities are often outside the kitchen’s control, and therefore not including in the food hygiene rating inspection.
And this raises another problem – accountability for food safety.
Why Responsibility for Food Safety Cannot Be Outsourced
School catering is usually managed by an outsourced third party. Head Teacher’s tend to believe that by outsourcing school meals it removes the responsibility for safety compliance from the school, which is not the case. In actual fact, it makes managing food safety in silos worse. Instead, we need to be thinking that food safety is everyone’s responsibility. Accountability for food safety cannot be outsourced.
Approach To Allergen Management In Schools
If we are to improve the current system of food safety in schools, we need a joined-up approach. This means a system where every part of school life, not just the kitchen, is covered by robust policies, clear roles, and regular communication about the management of food allergens. If food and drink is served or shared anywhere on site, the school remains responsible for keeping children safe.
A safe system must cover:
A policy for all activities: The allergy policy in schools must cover the whole day, not just catering for pupils at lunch time.
School wide staff training: Staff training for food allergy awareness and food allergy management—including temporary and volunteer staff.
Regular emergency drills: Food allergy emergency plan for schools—so everyone knows how to respond. Remembering that as there is no cure for food allergies, responding quickly could save a pupil’s life. Every second counts.
Spare adrenaline auto-injectors in schools: These must be accessible, in-date, and checked regularly. Staff must be trained in how and when to administer adrenaline auto-injectors.
Clear communication: Up-to-date allergy lists, clear signage, reminder posters, and real-time communication with parents about the pupil’s allergy care plan.
Joined-up leadership: When a poor food hygiene rating in schools appears, everyone should be asking: “Where else could our system fail?”
Insider tip: Many school food safety systems only focus on the main school kitchen. Yet the most overlooked failures can include “off-menu” activities.
What Schools Can Do Now
You don’t need to wait for the Schools (Allergy Safety) Bill or Benedict’s Law to take action. Allergen management in schools in England and allergen management in schools across Wales already have guidance that enables safe management of food allergens by recommending that schools:
-
Develop or update their school allergy management policy: Cover every food touch point, including PTA and other events such as school fetes, breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, cooking lessons and sessions where pupils learn to grow food.
-
Review the schools risk assessments for the management of food allergies: Include breakfast, classrooms, school trips and packed lunches.
-
Run allergen awareness and anaphylaxis training for school staff: Include all staff, not just catering staff.
-
Check your school has spare adrenaline auto-injectors: These must be in-date, easily accessible and staff know how and when to use them.
-
Review your school food hygiene rating: A low rating (score of 2 and below) is a warning sign for broader food safety and poor school allergen management.
-
Work with parents: Keep them informed and involve them in the development of a school allergen management safety system.
Final Thoughts—Your School Food Safety System Challenge
A 5 food hygiene rating looks good on paper. Yet a more effective approach to food safety comes from joined-up thinking and action across the whole school. That’s how we protect pupils—not just in the kitchen, but everywhere food and drink is served.
Food safety and allergy management is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you’re a headteacher, governor, caterer, or parent, ask yourself: where are the gaps in your school’s approach to food allergen management?
And what simple step could you take this term to help close a single gap?
The best systems aren’t built in a day, but every review, conversation, or small change makes your school safer for every child.
If your school is unsure where to start, or you want to know more about developing a robust food safety system, get in touch. Together, we can help your school move beyond compliance—and towards everyday protection for the pupils who need it most.
If you have a question about food allergens and allergen management feel free to use our food safety helpline. Ask your question to a food safety expert and get a response within 24-48 hours.
Dr Julie Rasmussen
❓FAQs for Schools & Parents in Wales
Welsh guidance says schools may hold them and that they “could potentially save a child’s life”, but they should never replace a pupil’s own device.
It is likely to focus on the school kitchen and formal meals served during lunch-times. It doesn’t guarantee that there will be an allergy policy in schools. Neither does it guarantee that other food events in the school calendar will be covered by the food hygiene inspection.
The law is proposed and not yet in force—so current action relies on Welsh Government guidance and best practice.
The governing body and headteacher set the school food safety system; all staff must carry it out.