Universal Infants Free School Meals

"The chancellor called for the cuts in July, as part of his spending review, due to be published in November.

The free school meals budget has cost about £600m each year, and there had been speculation over its future.

But the Department for Education has indicated that free school meals will be protected in the spending review.

"We believe that every child, regardless of their background, should have the same opportunities," said a spokesman.

"That is at the heart of what we are doing with school food.

"No child should be hindered because they are not eating a nutritious meal at lunchtime.

"We have provided significant financial support to schools to help them deliver universal infant free school meals.

"We have come a long way, and the new School Food Standards mean pupils of all ages are eating good food that sows the seeds for healthy eating for life." "

Looks to me like it stays the same.

According to a friend of mine, some children who 'qualify' for free school meals don't stay. They go home for lunch because they don't like what's offered at school. Probably a minority but it does kind of stymie the idea that their parents can't afford to feed them.

And it was not universal, only in England!

Not sure on this, I think free meals for all when the parents can afford to pay is a waste of money, but, some having free meals is starting the rich poor divide so early again

Free school meals for those who qualify for it will stay, and a good thing too.I thought at the time that the Lib Dem promise was a waste of money as lots of parents can afford school meals.Not that many meals look healthy though.
I like Anyas idea of toast fruit and milk at breaktime much better.

Just read on 38 degrees that Cameron says free school meals are here to stay.

If I'm there when she comes home, I'll eat it (waste not, want not)

rosequartz

BUT it sometimes comes home again, a bit worse for wear!

The fruit which is provided for break-time at DGD's school has to be paid for, not sure how much it is, £2 per week I think (Wales, not England, so I'm not sure about English schools).
So DIL gives DGD a piece of fruit for break as well as one in her lunchbox as it's cheaper to do that.

dd goes to a church school. One where you have to make extra effort to get in, so one would presume that parents are slightly more engaged with their child's education. there was a shocking percentage of children who did not have breakfast before school. breakfast eating dd was in the minority.

DD's twins started school this September and the free school meals have been an absolute godsend. At pre- school they took a packed lunch which,more often than not, came home barely eaten. By all accounts, according to the helpers, they are doing well with their school dinners. The cost for the two would be £80 per month. DD is a single mum, earning enough not to qualify for help, but still having to watch the pennies.

Re fruit breaks,. The twins have one fruit and milk break provided by school and have to provide a healthy snack for the other break.

Local primary here has "fruit break" mid morning which is provided by the school (through government funding), and milk (which is paid by parents once the child reaches the age of 5).

Ds1's school has a fruit/veg break, and parents are supposed to send in something for their child to eat. Ds1 usually brings cut up veg or occasionally fruit.

I would personally love to see FSM available to all children. Parents could have the option to opt out and send packed lunches if they want. And then there is no stigma attached to the FSM, and children of all ages that have parents struggling with finances will at the very least get one hot meal during the day.

PS My GC attend three different schools. Each of them is offered a choice of fruit to the children every day, even the 9-year old. I know this is going away from FSM but I'd be interested to know if this is a universal practice. I only found out by accident as my youngest GS had secreted his apple in his reading bag the other day "to eat later".

When questioned all the other GC agreed there was a bowl of fruit on offer, in the classroom, from which they could help themselves and this had been the case last year too.

I know it was a feature of the 'Healthy Schools' agenda when I worked with schools and was pleased this was still going.

Bring back school milk!

Anya makes some good points.

I find it hard to believe that every child in any school is in need of a breakfast. A greater or less percentage depending on tne level of deprivation is reasonable to assume. Having worked in schools in one of the most deprived areas of the country I think parents might be rather annoyed if their child was missing schooling and being offered a second breakfast instead of a Maths lesson, for example. Also the implication that poor parents are unable to offer their child a piece of toast at least for breakfast is insulting to the parents I knew who put their child's needs before their own.

But we do have to consider the needs of the child who's parents would rather spend on cigarettes than food. Or who CBA to get up and see their child fed in the morning. There may not be many of these but they do exist.

Far better IMO to offer everyone the chance of a free slice or two of toast and a glass of milk at break time instead - less disruptive and easier to organise.

I hope the free meals for infants can continue, in some areas anyway.
I used to to work in a primary school in a deprived area of Hull, and we had to sit and eat with the children, teach them how to use knife and fork etc. It does entail a bigger commitment from the school staff as well.

The quality of the food offered last year was poor. The quality this year is much better... except ds is no longer eligible. Murphy strikes again.

it is also a poor indication of the way things are that the school meals are an improvement for a lot of children on their previous diet.

and yes, I agree with a poster above that it is the people who are just above the threshold for fsm that will suffer.

used to read not used - time for bed

Didn't ask, Nina. I'll ask next time I see her.

Who is funding that I wonder Durhamjen ?

Oh Anya, turning a blind eye to those who have "forgotten" makes me feel we have gone back to the days of the books I used when I was young and they were set in the early 1900s. I am so glad they can help in this way but do wonder where all this is going to take us.

Breakfast clubs are usually extra, before the school timetable starts. At this school it is taking place for everybody as part of the school timetable. Do you understand that?

PS Many schools also offer 'buttered' toast at morning break (10p a slice at GC's schools) and turn a blind eye to those who have 'forgotten' their money (ie they get their slice anyway)