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24/09/2008
£20m Free School Meal Pilot
All Primary School pupils will be offered free school meals in a £20m pilot scheme in two areas of England, ministers have announced.
In a third area current eligibility will be extended so a larger group of pupils from poor families will qualify.
The pilot will start in September next year, and last for two years, it will be run jointly by the Health and Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Departments.
The trial will fully evaluate the benefits in terms of obesity, general health and children's behaviour as well as increased uptake of healthy meals.
The areas for involvement in the scheme have not been specified yet.
In July unions called for universal entitlement to free meals.
Labour MP Sharon Hodgson said: "Serving up a free healthy lunch in every school would bring benefits to the nation's collective health, educational attainment and environmental credentials."
(GK/JM)
In a third area current eligibility will be extended so a larger group of pupils from poor families will qualify.
The pilot will start in September next year, and last for two years, it will be run jointly by the Health and Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Departments.
The trial will fully evaluate the benefits in terms of obesity, general health and children's behaviour as well as increased uptake of healthy meals.
The areas for involvement in the scheme have not been specified yet.
In July unions called for universal entitlement to free meals.
Labour MP Sharon Hodgson said: "Serving up a free healthy lunch in every school would bring benefits to the nation's collective health, educational attainment and environmental credentials."
(GK/JM)
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02 October 2008
Free School Meals For Scots Primary School Pupils
All school pupils in primaries one to three in Scotland are to be entitled to free school meals following successful pilot schemes.
Free School Meals For Scots Primary School Pupils
All school pupils in primaries one to three in Scotland are to be entitled to free school meals following successful pilot schemes.
05 December 2013
£1bn Towards Free School Meals
£1bn is being unlocked to fund the Department of Education's free school meals commitment. The news, announced by deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, follows an announcement in September that every child in reception, year 1 and year 2 in state-funded schools will receive a free school lunch.
£1bn Towards Free School Meals
£1bn is being unlocked to fund the Department of Education's free school meals commitment. The news, announced by deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, follows an announcement in September that every child in reception, year 1 and year 2 in state-funded schools will receive a free school lunch.
27 July 2012
Free School Meals Shows Improvement In Diet
A report out today casts new light on the power of school meals to help children reach their potential. Research measuring the impact of offering free school meals to more children in specific areas of England found significant improvements in their attainment, as well as benefits for diet and take up of healthy school meals.
Free School Meals Shows Improvement In Diet
A report out today casts new light on the power of school meals to help children reach their potential. Research measuring the impact of offering free school meals to more children in specific areas of England found significant improvements in their attainment, as well as benefits for diet and take up of healthy school meals.
19 April 2012
Children's Society Warns Benefit Changes Could Leave Children Hungry
A children’s charity has warned that plans to simplify the welfare system could result in thousands of England's poorest children missing out on free school meals. The meals are linked to low-income benefits that are among those merging into a single Universal Credit in 2013.
Children's Society Warns Benefit Changes Could Leave Children Hungry
A children’s charity has warned that plans to simplify the welfare system could result in thousands of England's poorest children missing out on free school meals. The meals are linked to low-income benefits that are among those merging into a single Universal Credit in 2013.
19 July 2012
Coalition's Flagship Free School Scrapped
One of the coalition's flagship free schools has collapsed weeks before it was due to open, allegedly due to a lack of demand from parents.
Coalition's Flagship Free School Scrapped
One of the coalition's flagship free schools has collapsed weeks before it was due to open, allegedly due to a lack of demand from parents.
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