You will have a list of student and group leader allergies prior to their arrival, which you must communicate with the catering manager at the earliest possible opportunity, so that plans can be put in place for meals on day one.   

When groups arrive, the Welfare Manager must speak to those listed as having allergies to discuss any extra measures, medication, or procedures that need to be put in place for their stay, including what to do in an emergency. 

This information needs to be communicated to all managers and team members. Make sure that the group leader is present for these conversations, it is important that everyone knows the same information. 

All this information must be shared and discussed in detail with the Catering Manager.

You will need to be aware of the potential dietary requirements of your students and team members, and must communicate this to the catering team. It is also important that in the first couple of days, the meal service is checked to ensure that provisions have been made to meet the requirements. 

Of particular note is the requirement for Halal food options for our Muslim guests and team members. The term Halal refers to the manner in which the food is prepared – in particular, how animals are slaughtered before consumption. This also includes the prohibition of Haram foods, which include pork, alcohol, and the meat of carnivores. 

You will also need to be aware of the difference between gluten free and Celiac meals – Celiac being a disease that requires us to provide food with no contamination from gluten, meaning the food must be labelled as suitable for Celiacs, not just labelled gluten free. These meals may need to be arranged through a separate supplier.

All items prepared for those with dietary requirements must be clearly labelled or separated form the rest of the food so that it can be clearly identified by non-native speakers. It is advisable to label Halal food with appropriate signage in Arabic if you have Arabic students in your school.  

All this information must be shared and discussed in detail with the Catering Manager.

The catering manager will have confirmed numbers well before arrival date, however things can and do change quickly. When the students have all arrived, you must contact the Catering Manager to confirm total numbers of students, dietary requirements, and allergies. 

The procedure for packed meals delivery and provision vary depending on the centre so you need to discuss this with your Programme Manager.

Before each turn, you must meet with the Catering Manager to confirm total arrivals and options for the next turn. 

You should arrange a short meeting with the Catering Manager on your first day at the centre. You will have to liaise with them and their team regularly throughout the summer programme, and it is important to build a good working relationship form the outset. 

In your initial meeting, you should explain how the management system works, share contact details, and confirm plans for the programme. You need to discuss what to do if there is a change of plans, who to contact when the catering manager is not available, how meal service operates and what assistance they expect from the Campus Leaders on duty, and when, where and how packed lunches will be arranged, along with confirmation of allergies etc as noted above.

When meeting with the Catering Manager you must discuss how food is labelled and displayed, ensuring that all relevant allergens are labelled, as well as dietary restrictions such as Halal food. This information must then be passed to all team members and group leaders. 

For more information see 3.0 Daily Operations 

The Campus Team are required to sit, engage with, and eat with students during lunch and dinner service each day. This is an important part of the day as it allows us to gather feedback directly from students, as well as build excitement for upcoming activities. From a welfare perspective, it is useful time to monitor student behaviour and identify any areas of concern.  The Tour team are not required to sit with the students. 

The Campus Coordinator must ensure Campus Leader supervision is provided for each mealtime. These shifts should be designated on the weekly rota. They have two tasks; monitor that students are behaving and clearing their own plates away, and controlling the service queue. 

During each meal service, as a manager you must touch base with the catering manager or supervisor on duty. This is not an arranged meeting, but more of a quick check to see everything is going ok. When the catering team see you around, and being proactive in your management style, it instils in them a confidence of your abilities, as well as giving them an opportunity to raise any issues or questions they may have. 

On days that students collect a packed lunch, provisions should be available during or just after the breakfast service. A campus leader and tour guide must be present for this, and it is their job to ensure all meals are collected by the correct people – special care must be taken to accommodate allergies and dietary requirements.