• Ideally, 9–12 months before a school catering contract is due to expire or renew

• Concerns around cost, performance or meal uptake

• Procurement changes or Trust expansion

• Independent expert school catering contract reviews and benchmarking

• Catering tender and procurement support

• Performance monitoring and operational assessments

• Primary and secondary schools

• Academies and multi-academy trusts

• Colleges and universities

• Objective reviews of existing catering provision

• Independent insight across performance and costs

• Practical support tailored to operational requirements

• Contract performance and service standards

• Catering costs and value for money

• Procurement and tender arrangements

• Driving better value for money

• Reviewing operational efficiency and service delivery

• Identifying opportunities to improve meal uptake

• Supporting long-term performance improvements

• Comparing existing provision against operational requirements

• Reviewing performance, costs and service standards

• Supporting informed procurement and contract decisions

A school catering contract should clearly set out the services being provided, the school’s requirements and expectations, how the contract will be managed, and the key dates and terms that apply. This may include areas such as food and allergen requirements, meal volumes, performance measures, contract length, extension arrangements and notice periods. An independent review can help schools and multi-academy trusts understand whether the contract remains suitable for their needs and is delivering the expected service and value.