Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026

31 Food and drink provided at Academies

(1) In section 512B of the Education Act 1996 (provision of school lunches: Academies), after subsection (3) insert—

“(4) Subsections (1) and (3) apply to an agreement under section 482 in relation to a city technology college or a city college for the technology of the arts as they apply to Academy arrangements in relation to an Academy school or an alternative provision Academy.”

(2) After section 512B of the Education Act 1996 insert—

“512C School food standards: Academies

(1) Academy arrangements in relation to an Academy school or an alternative provision Academy must include—

(a) provision imposing requirements relating to food or drink provided for registered pupils that are equivalent to the requirements prescribed by regulations under section 114A(1) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (food and drink provided on premises of maintained schools etc), and

(b) provision imposing duties on the proprietor that are equivalent to the duties imposed by section 114A(4) and (6) of that Act on a local authority or the governing body of a school maintained by a local authority.

(2) Subsection (1) applies only to the extent that the provision mentioned there is not already required to be included in Academy arrangements by section 512B.

(3) Academy arrangements in relation to an Academy (other than a 16 to 19 Academy) that are entered into before the day on which section 31 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 comes into force are to be treated as if they included the provision required by subsection (1), to the extent that they do not otherwise include such provision.

(4) Subsections (1) and (3) apply to an agreement under section 482 in relation to a city technology college or a city college for the technology of the arts as they apply to Academy arrangements in relation to an Academy school or an alternative provision Academy.”