Dec. 02 2010
Source Page: The effect of changes in published secondary school admissions on pupil composition. 30 p.Found: The effect of changes in published secondary school admissions on pupil composition. 30 p.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support (a) pre-school, (b) primary school and (c) secondary school-aged children living in poverty other than through the provision of free school meals.
Answered by David Johnston
Spreading opportunity and ensuring every child can reach their potential no matter their background or where they live remains a key priority for the department. The department has a range of support in place for pupils, families and schools.
Low-income families and children experiencing other forms of disadvantage can qualify for 15 hours free early education for 2 year olds, a year before all children become eligible for 15 hours at ages 3 and 4. These entitlements support children’s development and helps prepare them for school.
Within schools, the department has consistently taken steps to help economically disadvantaged pupils, including improving the quality of teaching and curriculum resources, strengthening the school system and providing targeted support where needed. Underpinning this is pupil premium, worth over £2.9 billion this year. In 2024/25, the department has targeted a greater proportion of schools National Funding Formula towards disadvantaged pupils than ever before; 10.2% (over £4.4 billion) of the formula has been allocated according to deprivation in 2024/25.
To offer children from low-income families a free nutritious breakfast, the department is investing up to £35 million in the National School Breakfast Programme until the end of July 2025. This funding is reaching up to 2,700 primary and secondary schools in disadvantaged areas to better support attainment, wellbeing and readiness to learn.
Since 2021, the department has also provided more than £200 million of funding every year to local authorities across England for holiday provision for school-aged children from reception to year 11 (inclusive) who receive benefits-related free school meals and other families that most need it. The department has also published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniform to ensure uniform is affordable for all families.
Family hubs are a one stop shop for families to get the help they need. They provide services for children of all ages, or between 0 to 19 or 0 to 25 for families with children who have special educational needs and disabilities, with a great Start for Life offer at their core.
To support families with the cost of living in recent years, the government has provided one of the most generous support packages in Europe. The total support over 2022 to 2025 to help households and individuals with higher bills amounts to £108 billion, which is on average £3,800 per UK household.
Mentions:
1: Ross, Douglas (Con - Highlands and Islands) When he was Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, he announced the policy of free school meals - Speech Link
2: Ross, Douglas (Con - Highlands and Islands) free school meals to all primary school pupils by the end of this parliamentary session? - Speech Link
3: Ross, Douglas (Con - Highlands and Islands) He has confirmed that the SNP is breaking its promise to deliver free school meals to all primary school - Speech Link
4: Slater, Lorna (Green - Lothian) Free school meals for all primary school children were a commitment that the Scottish Greens secured - Speech Link
May. 10 2024
Source Page: The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (Modification) Regulations 2024 Equality Impact Assessment - ResultsFound: The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (Modification) Regulations 2024 Equality Impact Assessment - Results
Written Evidence May. 23 2024
Inquiry: Food, Diet and ObesityFound: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-free- school-meals-pilot-impact-report
Nov. 16 2010
Source Page: Table showing percentage of pupils who (i) achieved five or more A*-C grades at GCSE , including English and mathematics and (ii) were eligible for free school meals in 2009/10 in each school which had a Building Schools for the Future project stopped. 15 p.Found: achieved five or more A*-C grades at GCSE , including English and mathematics and (ii) were eligible for free
Mentions:
1: Munira Wilson (LD - Twickenham) When free infant school meals were rolled out, two in five headteachers told the Education Policy Institute - Speech Link
2: Stephen Timms (Lab - East Ham) out on free school meals. - Speech Link
3: Sharon Hodgson (Lab - Washington and Sunderland West) and all secondary school students are subject to a means-tested offer. - Speech Link
4: Damian Hinds (Con - East Hampshire) school meals to disadvantaged children in further education colleges. - Speech Link
Found: for free school meals, compared with 6% for pupils who were not registered Throughout this report,
Mentions:
1: Lucy Powell (LAB - Manchester Central) As she has said, local authorities have a statutory duty to arrange free home-to-school travel for children - Speech Link
2: Beccy Cooper (Lab - Worthing West) One aspect of that is the provision of good-quality school meals and increasing the uptake of free school - Speech Link
3: Lucy Powell (LAB - Manchester Central) Friend raises an important issue about the uptake of free school meals and how they are delivered in - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Gilruth, Jenny (SNP - Mid Fife and Glenrothes) We remain committed to further expanding universal free school meals to all pupils in primaries 6 and - Speech Link
2: Mochan, Carol (Lab - South Scotland) , which would improve even further families’ access to free school meals. - Speech Link
3: Gilruth, Jenny (SNP - Mid Fife and Glenrothes) in relation to free school meals. - Speech Link