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, for further information click here

Q: How do we start a milk scheme/what are the options available to us?
A: Firstly check with your local authority to find out if there is any milk provision in place. You can find out additional information on how to get started here and what options there are available here

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 needs to be given to issues like storage and delivery as the number of children drinking milk could impact on these areas of administration, for further ideas why not visit our case studies section

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? What about recycling?
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. Click here for more information on recycling

Q: What do we do if we are not happy with our milk provision?
A: This will depend on how you provide milk within your school:

1. If you are providing milk through the local authority agreement, then contact your LA immediately to inform them of your concerns and ask for their assistance.
2. Contact your supplier direct. To find your local supplier contact details click here
3. If you participate in an admin scheme via Cool Milk (www.coolmilk.co.uk) you will need to contact the customer service line  about the following issues:
   1. Non/wrong delivery of milk to your school
   2. Parents enquiries (eg: late payment/child hasn't received their milk)
   3. General concerns about the product.

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 introducing a milk scheme can be one more step towards achieving your Healthy Schools status.