News & Views

In the intricate tapestry of independent school management, operational efficiency stands as a cornerstone for sustainable success. While academic excellence remains paramount, the intricate workings of essential services like catering and cleaning contracts significantly impact the overall school environment. In the United Kingdom, Red Box Consultancy Services Ltd. emerges as a key ally for independent schools, specialising in negotiating, improving, and cost-saving on these critical contracts, thus ensuring an environment conducive to learning and growth.

In the dynamic world of catering facilities, the choice between offering 'Proud to Serve' coffee concessions and providing non-branded coffee is a decision that requires careful consideration. 'Proud to Serve' coffee concessions involve partnering with established coffee brands to offer their products, while non-branded coffee allows for more flexibility in sourcing and branding. Let's explore the pros and cons of each option to help catering facilities make informed decisions that align with their goals and customer preferences.

LACA- the school food people, have launched a call for children, caterers and parents, food suppliers and schools to support great school lunches with a series of celebratory events, positive action and below are the list of expected outcomes.

The provision of high-quality catering services within education facilities plays a significant role in the overall well-being and academic success of students. As the demand for nutritious and diverse meals continues to grow, educational institutions must recognise the crucial role they play in tendering catering services. This article aims to shed light on the importance of this process and emphasise the involvement of Parent Governors in making informed decisions that benefit both students and the school community.

Red Box pride ourselves on bespoke support for our Clients and often find once we build a relationship with a Trust, School, or Business, we can continue to support and advise so that services remain on track and take some uncertainty out of the agenda. Here are some potential areas where we can provide assistance:  

If you have been considering putting in a new system, but feel there may be large time commitment to you and staff to implement the change, Red Box can support with this, or link you with a catering contractor who can complete the system changes for you. So what would be the benefits in doing so?

Offshore catering and facilities are very important to staff working there, as they provide them with food, comfort, and welfare in a challenging and remote environment. Red Box have worked with a range of partners to ensure the quality and comfort levels reach competitive standards for your staff, while working financially for our clients.

The .GOV guidance below summarises your considerations. Red Box have provided further annotation to support you in determining if you are in a position to tender and how long the process will take.

'Why can't we have Yorkshire puddings on more than one day?!'. As of January 2015, all maintained schools, new academies, and free schools are required to follow the standards of the School Food Plan. It was launched by the Department of Education and in line with the requirements for School Food Regulations 2014. As part of our auditing on a termly or sometimes monthly basis, Red Box analyse the school menu and offer seen on the day of our visit to confirm the standards are being met. So what are the School Food Standards?

New Government procurement plans for the public sector are potentially 'catastrophic' for smaller suppliers to the Public Sector.