A new report from the Food Foundation lays out the ongoing tragedy of primary school children across much of England being denied access to free school meals.
The report focusing on England’s regions outside of London illustrates that some 16% of parents are now sending their child to school without lunch for more than one day of the week because they can’t afford school meals or packed lunches. An additional 42% are worried they will have to do the same thing in the near future. The report also estimates that 32% of English children eat a smaller lunch at school on some days because they cannot afford school meals or packed lunches.
Helen Osgood, National Officer for Education and Early Years at Community Union, said:
“We welcome the Labour Mayor of London’s decision to extend free school meals for all state primary students in the capital for another year. Sadly, this contrasts with the situation across England where too many children are going without, as laid out in this new report from the Food Foundation.
“We now have an unfair postcode lottery where the majority of primary school children across England are unable to access the free school meals that are available to their counterparts in London, Wales and Scotland. This is a direct consequence of the policies of the UK Conservative Government, and its day to day impact is laid out in devastating detail in the Food Foundation’s report.
“These findings correspond painfully with the feedback we receive from our members in English primary schools, who all too often are taking breakfast bars into school, to help ensure children are not going hungry. Despite our members’ best efforts, this is just a sticking plaster. There needs to be more funding available for breakfast clubs and free school meals made available for all children. London has demonstrated that this can be done.”
“No child should go without food, and it is an ongoing tragedy that the sixth richest country in the world still grapples with food poverty on this scale.
“Something needs to change; politicians need to put party politics to one side and think about the greater good of the children.”
You can read more on the Food Foundation’s report here: https://foodfoundation.org.uk/news/families-outside-london-having-send-their-children-school-without-food
Community is the union for education and early years professionals: representing teachers, headteachers, education, school support staff and early years staff. With over fifty years’ experience, we represent members and campaign to improve conditions for education and early years professionals. We are a modern trade union, campaigning for a better working world.
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