Beccles Forest School food hygiene rating
School/college/university · East Suffolk
Beccles Forest School holds a 2, which means some improvement is necessary. The inspector found problems at the school kitchen that the business is required to fix.
The rating: 2 - Some improvement necessary
The rating dates from 16 December 2025, 6 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: Marsh 49 Beccles Forest School, The Common, Beccles, NR34 9BX
How it compares in East Suffolk
A 2 is rare: only 22 of 2,317 rated places in East Suffolk score this low, about one in 105. By contrast 86% of the borough holds a 5, so this is well below what the council's inspectors normally find.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,994 | 86% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 212 | 9% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 71 | 3% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 22 | 1% | ← Beccles Forest School | |
| 1 out of 5 | 17 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 202 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Generally satisfactory
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Improvement necessary
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At Beccles Forest School the inspector recorded concerns over the condition of the premises. Because the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, that is what holds the score down.
What the business says
<p> &nbsp;High winds overnight had destroyed the tarpaulin over the kitchen, so the time that would have been spent cleaning the kitchen was spent installing a new tarpaulin. No one had been on site for 5 days so the kitchen had been subject to wildlife, wind and rain and all the dust and mud.</p> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> The kitchen was cleaned thoroughly before any cooking took place that day, but the inspection happened as I had just finished installing and had not even washed my own hands.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> The handwash was not set up at the time of inspection so the photo in the report is of the container that catches the water, not the tap.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> NB &ndash; as posited in the report - Toilets are cleaned at the end of the day, and never during the day, and this task is only carried out by a manager who does not re-enter the kitchen before going home. Nothing is stored in the toilets, ever.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div>
Businesses have a right to reply to their rating. This response is published by the Food Standards Agency alongside the score.
Questions about Beccles Forest School
What is Beccles Forest School's food hygiene rating?
Beccles Forest School has a food hygiene rating of 2 out of 5 (some improvement necessary), given by East Suffolk Council on 16 December 2025.
Is Beccles Forest School safe to eat at?
A 2 means the inspector found problems the business is required to fix. The school kitchen is not shut down, a rating is not a closure order, but standards were found to be below what the law expects at the time of inspection.
When was Beccles Forest School last inspected?
Beccles Forest School was last inspected on 16 December 2025, 6 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by East Suffolk Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Beccles Forest School?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "generally satisfactory", the cleanliness and condition of the building "improvement necessary", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Beccles Forest School compare to other places in East Suffolk?
86% of the 2,317 rated food businesses in East Suffolk hold the top rating of 5, while Beccles Forest School holds a 2. 22 places in the area share that rating.
Has Beccles Forest School responded to its rating?
Yes. Businesses have a right to reply, published alongside the rating. Beccles Forest School said: “<p> &nbsp;High winds overnight had destroyed the tarpaulin over the kitchen, so the time that would have been spent cleaning the kitchen was spent installing a new tarpaulin. No one had been on site for 5 days so the kitchen had been subject to wildlife, wind and rain and all the dust and mud.</p> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> The kitchen was cleaned thoroughly before any cooking took place that day, but the inspection happened as I had just finished installing and had not even washed my own hands.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> The handwash was not set up at the time of inspection so the photo in the report is of the container that catches the water, not the tap.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div> <div> NB &ndash; as posited in the report - Toilets are cleaned at the end of the day, and never during the day, and this task is only carried out by a manager who does not re-enter the kitchen before going home. Nothing is stored in the toilets, ever.&nbsp;</div> <div> &nbsp;</div>”
Who decides the rating?
East Suffolk Council inspects Beccles Forest School and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch Beccles Forest School and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Is this your business?
A rating of 2 is public, and most customers look. Only 18% of people say they would order from a business rated 2 or below, against 94% from one rated 4. Delivery platforms may decline to list you.
We cannot change this rating, and nor can you. It was set by an environmental health officer at East Suffolk, and it stands until they inspect again. What you can do:
- Fix what the inspector found, then ask the council for a re-inspection. Most charge between £120 and £316, and will not re-visit within three months of the original inspection.
- If you believe the rating is simply wrong, you have 21 days from being notified to appeal to the council. That is 21 calendar days, not working days.
- You may submit a right to reply at any time. It is published alongside the rating, here, and on the FSA's own site.
What a low rating means → · How re-inspections and appeals work →
Your council: East Suffolk
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Beccles Forest School is one of 146 rated food businesses in Beccles. See every hygiene rating in Beccles →
East Suffolk inspects and rates 2,519 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in East Suffolk →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →