Vertas Successfully Mobilises Catering Services Across Five New Schools for the Autumn Term

Submitted by Joely Burrows | 02/10/2026

Vertas Nottinghamshire Limited has successfully mobilised education catering services across five additional schools within Flying High Partnership, further strengthening a long-standing partnership that now spans 28 schools.

The new contracts commenced in phases, with three Leicester-based schools joining VNL Education Catering on 1 August 2026 and the remaining two schools in Nottingham and Derbyshire commencing on 1 September 2026. Together, the five schools join the 23 existing Flying High Partnership schools already supported by VNL Education Catering. The latest expansion reflects the continued confidence placed in VNL’s ability to deliver high-quality catering services that support pupils’ wellbeing, education and overall school experience.

The mobilisation programme represented a significant undertaking for the team, with each school requiring its own tailored approach. Detailed mobilisation plans were developed for every site to address unique requirements and operational challenges, including the onboarding of a new-build school and another site featuring a newly installed kitchen.

Preparations began ahead of the new academic year and included the procurement and installation of new equipment, staff recruitment, training and induction programmes, as well as engagement activities designed to introduce families to VNL’s education catering offer.

To support the successful launch, VNL’s Food Development team delivered a series of taster and engagement sessions with pupils, parents and school staff. These events provided an opportunity for children to sample menu items, learn more about healthy eating and become familiar with the exciting catering experience available to them from the start of term.

The mobilisation was carefully phased throughout the schools’ staggered return schedule, allowing teams to focus attention on each site as it came online. While challenges arose, particularly around equipment installation and power supply issues, the team worked collaboratively to implement solutions and ensure pupils received a meal from day one. The dedication shown by catering teams was recognised by Launde Primary School’s Head Teacher, who commended their “commitment and flexibility” after they successfully provided packed lunches for Pupil Premium and Universal Infant Free School Meal pupils despite working from a kitchen that was not yet fully equipped.

As a result of the contract wins, VNL is now providing approximately 800 meals every day across the five new schools. The expansion has also seen 14 colleagues join the VNL team, alongside opportunities to recruit additional team members.

The successful mobilisation reflected a true team effort, with colleagues across project delivery, Food Development and Operations working together to ensure all five projects remained on track. This collaborative approach highlights the strong partnership and shared commitment that underpin successful contract launches across the business.

Neil Bate-Jones, Associate Director – Operations (VNL) said:

“This is a fantastic achievement and a true reflection of the strength of our relationship with Flying High Partnership. With these latest contract wins, our collaboration now extends across 28 schools, and that is something the entire VNL team should be incredibly proud of.

What makes this particularly significant is that our partnership goes far beyond catering. We also provide cleaning and grounds maintenance services across a number of Flying High schools, demonstrating the trust placed in VNL and the value of a genuine multi-service partnership.

We look forward to continuing our work with Flying High Partnership, building on an already strong relationship and exploring new opportunities to add further value in the years ahead.”