MOST secondary schools in England are breaking food rules by serving unhealthy meals such as chips and burgers too often, according to a report published today.

Analysis of almost 400 state secondaries by food charity Bite Back revealed “shocking” breaches at three-quarters of schools in England, including examples of pupils are served sweets and crisps at breakfast time.

Three out of four menus analysed by researchers contained at least one item which flouted health standards, according to the charity set up by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.

Bite Back chief executive D’Arcy Williams described levels of non-compliance as alarming, saying that they expose “a system that is fundamentally failing our children.”

He added: “It is shocking to find crisps and chocolate being pushed at breakfast time or processed meats like sausage rolls and bacon baps being served far more frequently than the rules allow.

“Young people have been telling us for years that their school food is ‘beige, bland and boring’ and now we have more evidence that they are being surrounded by unhealthy food throughout the school day.

“Schools should be a sanctuary for health and learning, yet the current postcode lottery of food quality is undermining that mission.”

Most breaches cited in the findings involved schools offering unhealthy foods more often than the government-set standard.

But in 206 schools (56 per cent), products that have been totally banned were on offer for children to buy at breakfast and lunch, including crisps, Oreos, Mini Cheddars and chocolate bars.

About 57 per cent of schools were found to be serving certain meat items more often than the allowed twice a week and fried starchy foods such as hash browns too often in more than 144 schools (37 per cent).

And 123 of the surveyed secondaries (31 per cent) were using banned chocolate chips or chocolate coating in desserts.

The Department for Education said it was aware that “not every school is following these standards, which is exactly why we will introduce a strengthened enforcement regime, alongside requiring every school to publish their food policy and menus online to improve transparency for parents.

“That’s why we are delivering the most ambitious overhaul of school food in a generation, making sure children have access to healthy, balanced meals, get more of their five a day and are protected from the harms of eating too much ultra-processed food.”