Dinner Ladies - now there's a topic!

My school does not have enough dinner ladies – is there a legal minimum?
The answer to this is not really. Schools are en loco parentis (in the place of parents) and clearly have a duty of care. However, it will be the decision of the Headteacher and Governors to appoint midday staff. It is also true to say that in some areas and in some schools it is an extremely difficult role to fill – the pay is very low and at times they do a ‘thankless’ task! So, it really comes down to interpretation – it is not uncommon for a ration of 1 midday superviser to 50 children but this can operate quite safely if the school is generally a safe and well run place.
Schools also offer training for midday supervisers (or should do) – as usual, if you do have concerns though, it is worth raising these with the school.