School kitchens to be improved following government’s free meals policy

School kitchens to be improved following government’s free meals policyA new policy announced by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will require British schools to provide free meals for infant schoolchildren, but thousands of schools across England currently lack the facilities to serve and prepare hot meals in the necessary quantities.

More than 2,700 schools across England will be required to improve their kitchen facilities in order to conform to the new policy, according to data obtained by the BBC through the Freedom of Information Act. These improvements range from simple technological investments – such as new microwaves, dishwashers and stoves – to full kitchen refurbishments.

The BBC has revealed that around one-in-three schools assessed so far required some form of facility improvement in order to be brought up-to-speed, while a further 1,700 schools had no kitchen facilities at all. As the government continues to assess schools across the UK, these figures are expected to climb even further.

As thousands of schools look to improve their kitchen facilities in line with the government’s requirements, contractors nationwide will be in with a chance of winning the lucrative contracts. Some schools will be looking to refit and refurbish existing kitchens, while others may even need to build facilities from the ground up. With so many new construction projects potentially up for grabs, contractors ought to take note of the state primary schools in their area.

Integrity’s contractor job costing software can help companies to decide quickly and definitively whether or not a contract is worth pursuing. If you’re looking to offer your services to the nation’s state primary schools as they look to bring their kitchen facilities up to scratch this year, make the most of our job costing software to determine whether or not the contract will be worth your while.

Our Sponsors