Primary Education: Free School Meals

(asked on 13th April 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of universal infant free school meals on children's health and nutrition.


Answered by
Nadhim Zahawi Portrait
Nadhim Zahawi
This question was answered on 24th April 2018

The Department for Education and the Department for Health carried out a robust pilot of universal free school meals between 2009 and 2011. The evaluation of this pilot found that take-up of school meals was significantly higher in the pilot areas compared with control areas, and there was a significant positive impact on attainment for primary school pupils, with pupils in the pilot areas making between four and eight weeks’ more progress than similar pupils in comparison areas.

Take-up of the meals is a key success measure for universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), and we monitor this on a termly basis through the schools census. We know that a balanced and nutritious meal, which includes vegetables and fruit, is good for the health and well-being of children. According to the latest figures, 1.5 million infant pupils (excluding those eligible for benefits-based free school meals) took a lunch on census day – a take-up rate of 85.9%.

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