CANTEENS across Bracknell, Wokingham and Ascot have been revealed to see how their food and cleanliness is rated by the health watchdog.

Latest figures from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) show the results of food hygiene intervention inspections in the local authority, over the last year to January.

A total of 29 schools in Bracknell Forest were praised highly by the FSA for their cleanliness and food hygiene with schools such as Garth Hill College and Crowthorne Primary school rated as a 5.

All the other schools such as Newbold College, Easthampstead and St Michaels were rated a 4 which means hygiene ratings are still 'good'.

The Food Standards Agency is an organisation which rates businesses that handle food and how it is stored, prepared, the cleanliness of facilities and how food safety is managed.

Education establishments which are rated as a 5 means standards are very good and 4 is 'good'. The lowest rating is 1 where 'major improvement is necessary' on a business, school or restaurant.

The hygiene inspectors also listed schools in Wokingham with 9 rated as fives and fours and only one school listed as a 2.

St Crispin's Schools inspection in June, 28 scored a 2 showing that the school is failing to meet requirements and that 'some improvements' are necessary to be made.

The Food Standards Agency does not rate schools on the quality of food, customer service, culinary skills, presentation or comfort.

However, businesses with low ratings are required to make urgent improvements to hygiene standards and the local authorities food safety officer can make several enforcement options.

The officer will therefore give advise to improve hygiene and guidance on how to make sure the improvements are made.

The food safety officer will also tell businesses how quickly these improvements should be made and this will depend on the types of issues that need addressing.

Nonetheless, schools in Ascot were rated as very good, with all 12 rated as a 5. St Mary's School was rated a 5, along with Charters School, St Michaels Primary and Holy Trinity Primary.

The inspections sums up that schools across Berkshire are generally very good, and there is evidence that staff know about food safety and the FSA has confidence that standards will be maintained in the future.