Schools Ban Birthday Cake, Promote Healthy Alternatives
Belmore Primary School in Hayes, west London, has taken a unique approach to birthdays, declaring cake a health and safety risk and allowing pupils to wear their own clothes instead. This move aligns with the Department for Education's (DfE) recommendation to discourage parents from bringing in sweet treats to mark their child's special day.
Several schools across the country have adopted similar measures. Tufnell Park Primary School in London, for instance, has swapped out cake for gestures like songs, cards, and hats. The early years nutrition advice suggests pupils could hand out non-edible favours instead, such as stickers or bottles of bubbles. Hillcross Primary School in Morden, Surrey, has gone a step further, banning students from sharing out cake to maintain its 'healthy school status'. Roxbourne Primary School in Harrow has also forbidden cake to promote healthy eating and avoid issues with allergies or dietary requirements.
The new regulation recommending fruit platters instead of birthday cakes at schools and kindergartens to promote healthy eating was made by a public health or education institution. However, this guidance has been criticized as 'performative' and 'petty' by Shadow health secretary Stuart Andrew.
The DfE document for Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) suggests any food brought in from home should be balanced and meet the setting's food guidelines. Schools are encouraged to find creative alternatives to traditional birthday cakes, focusing on promoting healthy eating habits and inclusive environments.
