DairyCo

Frequently asked questions about providing milk in your school

Published 12 March 10

Q: Can our caterers provide milk in schools?
A: Yes, the caterers may be able to provide and administer the milk scheme in your school and we are able to offer practical advice to assist this facility.

Q: When do we give out the milk?
A: We would suggest around morning break. This helps to fill the gap up to the lunchtime break, providing the child with essential nutrients and vitamins which can aid concentration, especially if the child has come to school without any breakfast. We would encourage the use of pupils as Milk Monitors to distribute the milk. This not only benefits their mathematical and social skills but also their self-esteem.

Q: Is there a limit to how many children take up the milk at first?
A: No - but consideration will have to be given to issues like storage and delivery as the number of children drinking milk could impact on these areas of administration.

Q: If the child has paid in advance for a week or term and is absent due to sickness do they get a refund?
A: It is recommended that schools stipulate their refund policy to parents. The majority of milk cartons have a shelf life of 4 - 7 days when kept in a fridge and as milk is non-returnable to the dairy, a child could be offered any missed milk on their return. If the parent is coming into school with another child, they could take the milk home with them.

Q: Will we be provided with extra refuse bins?
A: In some areas where the Local Authority (LA) is claiming subsidy for school milk, they may provide extra refuse bins depending on their claim to the EU commission. However, some cartons, and polly bottles are recyclable and the LA will provide additional information on this.  Many schools will encourage the children to participate in various exercises where the cartons can be re-used, eg, the cartons can be used as little plant pots for seedlings.

Q: It seems very simple - why did we not offer milk before?
A: Lots of schools have successfully provided milk for a while and it can depend on what the LA policy is or has been. For some schools the time to introduce milk has not been right until now and the school milk Facilitator can assist and support you at this time.