Annual Report 2023/24

Chefs in Schools is a UK charity transforming children's health through food by recruiting chefs and training school kitchen teams to serve fresh, nutritious meals, and embedding food education. Their 2023/24 annual report marks a milestone of 100,000+ children reached, a BBC Food Award, and 46% income growth — alongside active policy work as co-conveners of the School Food Review coalition calling for universal free school meals expansion.

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About

School Transformation programme; School Chef Educator training; Membership programme for school chefs; hub kitchen model development; food education curriculum support; School Food Review coalition (40+ organisations); policy advocacy and parliamentary evidence Custom geography from upload: England

Key Metrics

Key Metric 1 100,000+ children now reached through programmes — nearly doubling in one year the reach achieved in the previous five years combined; 16 new schools supported through School Transformation programme (6,303 pupils)

Key Metric 2 76 chefs from 126 schools graduated from School Chef Educator programme reaching 36,414 children daily; total income grew 46% to £1,654,185; most successful fundraising year to date raising £1,548,528

Key Metric 3 88%+ of school leaders reported pupils consuming more fruit and vegetables; 82%+ reported improvement in pupil behaviour; 65%+ reported improvement in pupil concentration; 100% of chefs satisfied or very satisfied with their job

Key Outcomes

Won BBC Food and Farming Derek Cooper Outstanding Achievement Award 2023; Survation polling found a third of parents can no longer afford school meals; gave evidence to House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee and Youth Select Committee
82%+ of school leaders report pupils more likely to try new foods; 83% of chefs observed an increase in meal uptake (up from 66% in 2023); launched first major fundraising event raising £286,725 at The Fishmongers' Company
1 in 3 children in poorest parts of England growing up with obesity — double the rate of more privileged areas; Riverford partnership to train 255 chefs and reach 40,000 children in South West over four years; hub kitchen model piloted in Hackney for electric-bike meal delivery