Little Heath School ~ Catering Tender

The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering services for Little Heath School.

Little Heath School is a voluntary-aided co-educational comprehensive secondary school. The school is located in the Little Heath area of the Reading suburb of Tilehurst, in Berkshire.

Founded in 1963, the school is managed by West Berkshire Local Authority, but serves communities in both West Berkshire and Reading. A mixed 11 – 18 school, it has approximately 1650 students on roll, with over 350 of these in the Sixth Form.

The tender project is seeking to appoint an experienced and innovative Contractor for the provision of a catering service, within the existing facilities, for the students on roll and 180 teaching and support staff. The Contractor will be required to have a focus on exciting new food concepts and be able to satisfy a wide range of pupil tastes and dietary requirements. The School would wish the successful Contractor to review the current range of services offered and make recommendations accordingly.

The contract being tendered is for three years in duration from 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2027 and will operate as a Guaranteed Performance Contract, with the successful Contractor offering the School a guaranteed return per annum for the provision of catering services. Sovereignty of the cash tariff is to remain with Little Heath School for the duration of this contract.

The School year is based on a calendar of 195 days. Five days are to be used for staff professional development which means the School will be open to receive students for the legal minimum of 190 days.

The contract offered covers the provision of a full range of catering services within the School, which currently includes breakfast, morning break, lunch, some hospitality and all free issue requirements. Free School Meals and hospitality will be charged based on consumption and at net food cost.

Whilst the School prioritises value for money as a key objective of the Competitive Tender Process, the Governing body is not obliged to accept the lowest price.

The value of the current contract is: -

2021/ 2022

Cash sales£334,200

Free School Meals £73,124

Hospitality£5,743

Total£413,067

Little Heath expects the successful Contractor to enable the continued development of catering at the School through the provision of an innovative, healthy food service, with fresh, seasonal, locally sourced ingredients being prepared on-site. The School expects the successful tenderer to evidence, through their bid, how they shall support and complement its values and support the principles of Every Child Matters.

The School believes that success should be celebrated and that pupils should enjoy their time at school; if lessons are stimulating and challenging then students will love learning. Much time therefore, is spent reviewing and planning schemes of work to ensure that they are adapted to meet the needs of all students.

As a school which is continually seeking ways to improve and develop the ethos and environment for students and staff, to give them the facilities they deserve and need to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, any consideration regarding inward capital investment as part of the Contractor’s tender submission would be welcomed.

Please be advised that this contract will be let on a 3 + 2 years basis.

Please see SQ document for more information.