@CatherineFlick the competion here is not about quality though. The schools will have to take the lowest bidder. If the only thing you let companies compete on is price then the quality will always be low. Its not the schools fault either as they don't have any money to pay for better quality. It was these children who caused the 2008 financial crisis so its them that must pay. It does not excuse the people involved but its not like there is any pressure to do anything else.
@choffee @CatherineFlick the thing that gets me here is that contracts mean the Southampton school mentioned are tied in, despite there now being a city wide coop which does good quality school dinners at near cost price. Why doesn’t the contract have an escape clause if the supplier fails to deliver on what they’re being paid for?
Sorry to interject, but schools do *not* have to select solely on cost.
Schools have several routes to purchasing things like catering - for example using frameworks:
https://buyingforschools.blog.gov.uk/2023/05/25/a-beginners-guide-to-using-frameworks-for-school-buying/
That allows them to select on exactly what they value - which might be cost, or quality, or variety, or SLA etc
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-a-dfe-approved-framework-for-your-school
Undoubtedly some schools do go for the cheapest - but they can fire their caterer if they don't perform to standard.
@choffee @CatherineFlick
Like, don't get me wrong, this company sound like arses.
But at least schools now have a chance to change away from crappy caterers if they're delivering slop.
@Edent @CatherineFlick I will hold my hands up to no knowing the details. My comment about cost was a more general one on the financial pressure schools find themselves under.