Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme and the Scottish School Milk Scheme: data collection

Chapter 6: Scottish School Milk Scheme

In Scotland, each of the 32 local authorities has the autonomy to offer school milk schemes tailored to local needs and priorities . These schemes vary widely, with some local authorities offering free milk to certain groups for example by age or stage of education and some subsidising milk for some or all groups while charging others.

The UK School Milk Subsidy scheme, previously known as the EU School Milk Subsidy scheme, provides support to local authorities that offer milk schemes, with 17 authorities currently taking advantage of this subsidy. Responding to a commitment by Scottish Ministers, a new Scottish School Milk Subsidy Scheme aims to provide direct funding to allow local authorities to offer a school milk scheme in their primary and special schools from August 2024.

A total of 19 local authorities filled out the survey on the data for the School Milk Scheme. Analysis of the data collected is based on these 19 local authorities.^[13]

It is important to note that some local authorities we wrote to indicated that they did not operate a School Milk Scheme so would not respond to the request. Others indicated confusion about whether their schools’ programmes fell within the parameters of the School Milk Scheme. Many were not able to provide the data requested.

Table 6.1 summarises the returns received and correspondence with local authorities as well as whether or not they are identified as claiming RPA subsidy.

Overall, if such a scheme is introduced nationally, we would recommend that local authorities and settings are required to record this information centrally from the outset to reduce the risk that this cannot be collected. It is evident that information on the application of milk scheme is not currently held centrally by many local authorities.

Uptake

Scottish School Milk Scheme

Across the 19 local authorities who responded to the SSMS survey the following number of schools were reported as offering a school milk scheme

• 1,037 primary schools (83% of the total reported) (Table 6.2)
• 22 secondary schools (11% of the total reported) (Table 6.3)
• 57 special schools (80% of the total reported) (Table 6.4)

Provision of non-dairy products

Respondents reported that the following number of schools offered non-dairy products as an alternative to dairy as part of a milk scheme, Table 6.5, Table 6.6 and Table 6.7:

752 primary schools (64% of the total reported in this question and 73% of those identified as having a school milk scheme in Table 6.5).

22 secondary schools (14% of the total reported in this question and all of those identified as having a scheme in place in the previous question, Table 6.6).

43 special schools (66% of the total reported in this question and 75% of those identified as having a school milk scheme in Table 6.7).

Fruit/Vegetable or healthy snack

Respondents were also asked to report the number of schools who offer a healthy snack as part of a milk scheme in place of a dairy or non-dairy alternative. Primary school provision is shown in Table 6.8, Secondary schools in Table 6.9 and Special schools in Table 6.10. The reported figures were as follows:

210 primary schools (19% of the total reported in this question and 20% of those identified as having a school milk scheme in Table 6.8).

2 secondary schools (1% of the total reported in this question and 9% of those identified as having a school milk scheme in Table 6.9).

10 special schools (15% of the total reported in this question and 18% of those identified as having a school milk scheme in Table 6.10).

Free School Milk or alternatives

Children eligible

Table 6.11 presents responses to the number of children and young people reported as being eligible for free school milk or an alternative in the local authority areas. Numbers in brackets indicate the number of local authorities who provided a figure for this. Some local authorities indicated that this data was not applicable to them or not known.

Portions taken over the school year

Respondents were asked to report the portions of items taken over the school year across milk, non-dairy alternatives and fruit and vegetables. Again, many local authorities struggled to provide this information pointing to a lack of centralised data collection. Going forward, if such a scheme is introduced nationally, it would be advisable to require local authorities and settings to record this information from the outset to reduce the risk that this cannot be collected or patchy reporting of data. Table 6.12 provides the numbers reported by local authorities and the number of local authorities providing information in brackets. As is evidenced by the lack of data returned by local authorities the uptake of portions appears not be tracked across schemes. Due to large numbers of nil responses on subcategories of provision to this question, only categories with data returns confirming provision takes place have been included in Table 6.12.

NB: Three local authorities do not track this level of information.

Subsidised School Milk

Children eligible

Respondents were asked to report how many children or young people are eligible for subsidised school milk or an alternative in their local authority. Again, many were not able to provide this information perhaps due to a lack of centralised recording. Table 6.13 presents the sum of the figures reported with 8 local authorities reporting a total of 115,942 children and young people being eligible for subsidised school milk in primary schools and 2,297 in special schools.

Portions taken over the school year

Again, many were not able to provide information on the number of subsidised portions taken over the school year perhaps due to a lack of centralised recording. Table 6.14 presents the sum of the figures reported and the number of local authorities providing this information in brackets.

Eligibility and provision – paid

Number of children provided with paid for school milk or an alternative

Table 6.15 presents the totals reported by respondents in terms of the number of children and young people provided with paid for school milk or an alternative by their local authority. The figures show that:

Across three local authorities 23,324 were reported as being provided with this in primary schools.

One local authority reported 6,596 receiving this in secondary schools.

201 children and young people were reported as receiving this in special schools across two local authority areas.

Paid for portions taken over the school year

Table 6.16 presents the totals reported by respondents in terms of the number of children and young people provided with paid for school milk or an alternative by their local authority. The figures show that:

Across three local authorities 2,543,257 portions of milk were being reported as being taken in primary schools.

15,770 portions were reported as being taken in special schools by one local authority.

No local authorities provided any information relating to non-dairy alternatives or fruit and veg.

Costs and supply

Local authorities were asked to provide the costs for providing a portion of dairy milk, non-dairy alternative and fruit or vegetable as part of the scheme.

There was variation in the costs provided by local authorities as demonstrated by the figures provided in Table 6.17.

In terms of dairy milk the median cost reported was £0.28 while the mean cost was £0.37 based on figures provided across 12 local authorities. For non-dairy alternatives the mean cost was £0.38 and median cost was £0.30 based on figures provided by 7 local authorities.

Only two local authorities provided figures for fruit or vegetables at an average of £0.41 per portion.

How milk is received

Among the local authorities surveyed, nine out of 13 reported that they receive milk from Scotland Excel in every location. For milk agents, three out of nine respondents indicated that they receive milk in every location in this way. In relation to direct supply from dairies, one out of eight respondents reported receiving milk in every location in this way, while two out of eight reported receiving it in most locations.

Supermarket purchases did not serve as a source of milk for any respondents across locations, as reported by four out of four respondents.

Respondents could also provide other ways they received milk, and these included established contracts with specific dairy companies, utilising local and organic contracts and in more remote areas, direct sourcing from dairies or local shops.

Provision

When milk is served

Table 6.19 reveals the timing of milk service across local authorities, with most areas that provided information serving milk during interval and lunchtime as opposed to before school/registration.

Administration by staff

Table 6.20 highlights the various groups responsible for administering milk within schools, with canteen staff and teachers playing significant role.

Other groups administering the milk within schools include clerical and office staff and janitors.

How milk is served

Table 6.21 showcases the methods of milk service, emphasising the common practice of pouring milk from larger cartons into cups, especially for non-dairy alternatives.

Provision of fruit and vegetables

Only two local authorities gave insights into the provision of fruit and vegetables. The provision of fruit and vegetables in these areas is dependent on the seasonal availability of fruits such as apples, grapes and kiwi fruit and vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers and sugar snap peas. A third local authority reported that it does not hold this information centrally as provision is location dependent.