Potential outsourcing of School Canteen Service

Background to the School

Strathearn School is an all girls' grammar located at 188 Belmont Road, Belfast BT4 2AU. The school was this year ranked the top grammar in Northern Ireland in the Sunday Times Parent Power Report.

As a Voluntary Grammar School, the school is managed by its Board of Governors, which acts as the employing authority for staff. The school has a greater level of autonomy and self-governance over its budget and maintenance than schools in the Education Authority Controlled sector.

Current Canteen Provision

Enrolment at the school is 823, approximately 50% of whom choose a canteen lunch. Of these, the number of pupils in receipt of free school meals is 58. All pupils and c.120 members of staff have access to canteen facilities at the following times:

• Breakfast: 8.15 - 8.45am
• Break: 10.50 - 11.05am
• Lunch: 12.20 - 1.45pm

The school is willing to consider any extension of these times that a supplier may seek, for example for the provision of hot drinks. There is a separate servery in the Sixth Form Centre, which is located adjacent to the canteen, and there may be demand from these pupils (as yet untested) during study periods.

In addition, enrolment in the Preparatory Department is currently 120. Prep pupils are served lunch in the canteen at the earlier time of 11.45am and approximately 50% choose a canteen lunch.

The canteen operates a cashless biometric system whereby pupils pay using their fingerprint. Education Authority (EA) funding for Free School Meal pupils is received at £3.34 per meal. For Prep pupils, a set lunch cost (currently £3.05 per meal) is billed to parents on a termly basis.

In its current configuration the canteen provides seating for c.375 pupils. The Sixth Form Centre accommodates pupils in L6/U6 (c.200). Sixth form pupils are also allowed to leave the school grounds at lunchtime. Pupils are encouraged to eat their lunch in the canteen, including those with a packed lunch. The school has modern, well-maintained equipment and facilities and will work with the operator to improve aesthetics or facilitate any changes to the existing configuration of the canteen.

In addition, catering is provided for internal events such as meetings, Prizegiving, Open Morning etc. where requested.

Summary turnover data can be obtained by contacting the Bursar at mferguson448@c2ken.net.

Requirement

The school canteen service is currently run in-house, and the Board of Governors wishes to explore the opportunity to outsource a fully managed catering service to a commercial operator, ideally from the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

The reasons for this move are as follows:

• The forecast financial position for canteen operations is unsustainable in the current operating environment of unstable and reduced operating income (in real terms) from the Department of Education (DE). The school is seeking to increase operational efficiencies and innovation in order to improve value for money and service delivery to its pupils.
• A survey of pupils undertaken in February 2026 was completed by 351 pupils and indicates scope for improvement in terms of variety of food on offer and waiting times. The survey responses are available by contacting the Bursar at mferguson448@c2ken.net.
• The school finds it difficult to recruit canteen staff. There is a current vacant position for a Cook (currently being covered on a temporary basis through an agency) and nine staff employed (one Canteen Supervisor and eight Canteen Assistants). Whilst current staff will be required to transfer to the operator under the TUPE regulations, there is an opportunity for the operator to recruit for the vacant position. Information to support the TUPE process will be provided in the tender documentation.
• The school would benefit from an operator's input in relation to staff training, management of allergens, meeting nutritional standards and accounting for best practice in relation to service provision.
• There is an opportunity for the operator to supply vending services on site, should this prove attractive. There is also scope to supply ingredients to the Home Economics department, if this presents as a viable proposition.