Allergy safety in schools is under sharper national focus than ever before. Following high-profile cases and growing concern about inconsistent practices, new statutory guidance – widely referred to as Benedict’s Law – is set to strengthen expectations around how schools manage allergies and anaphylaxis.

For school leaders, this is not just another policy update. It signals a clear shift towards tighter governance, stronger accountability, and safer systems for managing pupil dietary requirements.

For most schools, managing school dinners isn’t something anyone stops to question. But that’s exactly where the real issue hides. At a time when every penny and minute counts, it’s worth asking: how much is “the way we’ve always done it” really costing us?