Tower Hamlets Council is celebrating one year since it became the first local authority in England to rollout universal free school meals to all primary and secondary pupils up to the age of 16.
The council has funded free school meals for all primary school children since 2014.
The secondary school scheme was rolled out from September 2023 with £722k investment to schools for all new equipment to be purchased and installed.
Since its launch last year, nearly one million more free meals were served to secondary pupils who would normally have had to pay for them.
Nearly 38,000 pupils in Tower Hamlets’ primary and secondary schools have access to a free school meal – regardless of their family’s income.
Universal free school meals provide a wealth of financial, health and educational benefits to children.
Nearly half of children in Tower Hamlets live below the poverty line - the highest rate in the UK.
The scheme provides vital support for families, with an average saving of £550 per year, per child.
Eating a healthy, nutritious meal supports pupils with their learning and has been shown to improve behaviour and academic achievements.
With nearly half of children in Tower Hamlets going into secondary school with excess weight, the scheme is also a positive step towards improving the physical health of young people and promoting a healthier borough.
The National Education Union’s No Child Left Behind campaign is calling for an end to hunger in schools and demands that children across the country don’t miss out on what London’s primary school children are already benefitting from – a hot, healthy school dinner, every day. This ask was recently backed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:
"Tower Hamlets' long standing commitment to providing free school meals for primary children is to be applauded. Every child deserves to be supported with a nutritious meal at school.
“This vital provision is critical for health, and it is essential to aiding learning. Trying to concentrate and participate fully in a school day when hungry is distressing and difficult.
“Free school meals for all have a net benefit to the economy, too. The NEU is calling for Free School Meals to be extended across the country, matching the provision that children in Tower Hamlets and the rest of London receive.”
As organisations become more supportive of the concept of providing free school meals for all, Tower Hamlets Council as thought leaders have produced an animation sharing the process of how it can be achieved: Universal Free School Meals (youtube.com).
The council is working with several academic bodies to evaluate the impact of the policy.
Newcastle University has conducted a study looking at the impact on the diet of pupils alongside food insecurity.
Queen Mary University, as part of ActEarly, has received a grant to evaluate the policy’s implementation alongside the impact it is having on the mental health of young people in the borough.
The council is also exploring other long term evaluations of the policy, including the economic impact on the local community.
Kabir Miah, Head of School at Swanlea School, said:
“We are delighted to be part of the universal free school meals offer.
“Our parents and carers have been grateful for the additional support it gives them in these challenging times.
“Additionally, we have seen the educational benefits of the programme with improved focus for young people, allowing our pupils to achieve highly at Swanlea School in Tower Hamlets, placing us in the top 5% of schools nationally.”
A student from Swanlea School in Whitechapel said:
“I think it's a very good thing because everyone's able to afford it.
“I've met people our age that are struggling a lot because their parents work two jobs each and they're struggling to get by.”
Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said:
“I am proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Tower Hamlets becoming the first local authority in the country to provide universal free school meals to all primary and secondary schools.
“The fact that we have been able to provide nearly a million more free meals to secondary school students since the policy launched ensures that no families that are struggling financially are slipping through the net.
“I urge other councils to consider rolling out this policy, to ensure no children in England go hungry at lunchtime.”
Cllr Maium Talukdar, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Lifelong Learning, said:
“Universal free school meals create positive educational and health outcomes for pupils, whilst saving families money.
“The council is monitoring progress and the positive impact the policy is having on students and their families.
“Thank you to the education and council staff whose support is enabling the success of the policy.”
Posted on Monday 16th September 2024