FAQ

What food safety standards are followed by AiP?
  • We have the following ISO accreditation : ISO 14001: 2015, ISO 9901: 2015, ISO 45001: 2018.
  • We comply with all regulations, and we have a legal partnership with our Primary Authority (Salford Council) which assures all of our food safety standards/processes
How does AiP address allergen management?
  • Any child with a dietary requirement complete our special diets form. The kitchen team and the school agree a plan to identify these children as they come into the dining hall at service.
  • The form is then given to the kitchen and our nutrition team. Together, they create the information needed for safe meals. In the instance of allergy or intolerances, they will create a menu with at least 2 daily options (in most instances) from which the parent/carer and pupil can choose their meals.
  • Once the parent has chosen the meals, the kitchen prepares the chosen items and holds them separately, labelled with the pupil’s name and allergen. This is then served to the pupil as they come into the dining hall with separate utensils and plates.
Does AiP accommodate special dietary needs for primary school students?
Yes, we can accommodate most special dietary needs. In some instances, we may ask for medical information to confirm that we are creating the correct meal to keep students safe. But, this is only requested in a minority of times when allergens fall outside the 14 regulated allergens or the need is very medically specific.
Does AiP accommodate special dietary needs for secondary school students?
Yes, we can accommodate most special dietary needs. In some instances, we may ask for medical information to confirm that we are creating the correct meal to keep students safe. But, this is only requested in a minority of times when allergens fall outside the 14 regulated allergens or the need is very medically specific.
What Certifications do you hold to certify menu quality and sourcing?
  • Food For Life Bronze
  • MSC licence
  • All meat used is British Red Tractor Certified
Key considerations to take onboard when selecting a caterer for schools?
  • What is your number one requirement from a school meal provider?
    • Only supplies Education Catering. All of our insight, research, and development is focussed on providing freshly prepared, healthy, and tasty meals to schools, using the School Food Plan and Public Health information as our starting point.
  • Can you meet the needs of our diverse school population?
    • At AiP, we know that one menu doesn’t fit all schools. We offer a selector style menu so that you can tailor the menu to your needs.
  • Queues are a big problem at our school, we need to minimise wait times and get children eating within our timetable
    • At AiP, we have come up with several strategies to help decrease waiting times such as sign posting along the queue so that students know what is on offer before they arrive, pre-ordering so that meals are ready when they arrive, direct marketing to parents and students so they’re aware of what’s on offer before they arrive, and opening multiple servery points to split traffic. In addition, our primary school pre payment solution, School Food United, allows parents to pre order via the app to help improve speed.
Do you cater for different types of dietary preferences?
  • Yes, we offer at least 2 vegetarian options each day.
  • We strive to make our vegetarian options vegan friendly as well. We do offer at least one vegan option each day.
  • We participate in Meat Free Mondays.
  • All of our dessert options are vegetarian. Some of them are also vegan friendly.
  • We do not use pork gelatine in any of our desserts.
  • We can offer Halal meat if requested by the school.