Last week scientific researchers peered into the nation’s school packed lunchboxes and the news was bad.
The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health found that only one percent of children who bring lunch to school eat according to the basic standards for healthy eating that our Labour government has put in place.
When children eat poorly, they receive a poor education. A child with a hungry belly who cannot concentrate may disrupt a whole class. The time has come to put free school meals at the centre of our future plans for our children’s education.
That is what we have done in Islington where I lead the opposition Labour group.
Last year, facing a divided Liberal Democrat council leadership, we made history by passing a council budget from opposition. We used it to introduce free school meals for all children in Islington council primary schools and nurseries.
Though we have faced blocking tactics from the Lib Dem council, the policy has been rolled out to the first schools and the results are fantastic.
It is now a few months since a pilot of six schools was introduced. We have found that not only are 80-90% of children now eating healthy lunches in those schools, but more of the children who were already entitled to free school meals are eating them.
It is not surprising that this has increased – a recent study by the School Food Trust, looked at the impact of prices on take-up of healthy school meals. It found that increasing the cost of school meals leads to a fall in the number of pupils buying them – with demand for school food more sensitive to price changes than other food products.
By taking away the price barrier, more children enjoy healthy free school meals
In Hull free school meals were tried for two years, before the Lib Dems took control of the council and scuppered the scheme.
The social, educational and health benefits were utterly compelling. Independent research from the university of Hull found families’ eating habits, classroom behaviour and learning, as well as dental health, all improved significantly as a result.
Take-up rose across the board and teachers felt it easier to teach with less disruption in the classroom.
In addition to this are the economic benefits a universal free school meals policy brings. Kids who are currently receiving free school meals will continue to do so even if parents who are currently not working take on a job – meaning another barrier to work is removed for these parents.
And with 24% of Islington’s ten-year-olds obese; the worst exam results in inner London; and double the national average of lone parent families, there is no doubt that something radical must be done.
The results in Islington are already impressive and the support we have received on the doorstep has been overwhelming. It brings returns on educational achievement, child nutrition and removing barriers to work.
In a borough where over 40% of children are living in poverty and living side by side with high income families, inequality in Islington schools is stark. This universal approach to school meals enhanced our sense of community.
Families know that we are on their side in Islington, and after ten years in opposition locally, we are confidently taking that message to the people of our borough ahead of May’s local elections.
The government has made a strong first step with the pilot schemes in Newham and Durham. I want to see the benefits spread far beyond trailblazing local authorities. Now is the time to look to this groundbreaking policy for the rest of the country.
Newham have piloted free school meals with the Government and a couple of other authorities. Catherine is absolutely right about the benefits and the uptake in Newham has been fantastic. This is about destigmatising free school meals, getting good food for our children and putting money back in lower middle income families pockets who often just miss out on means tested benefits. It is also a huge vote winner locally. There may be less money around but the Party should consider supporting this in manifestos nationally and locally.
It’s another one in the eye for Thatcher’s policies. The kitchens should never have been ripped out. It’s great to read this and see it can be done. Universality is the key. All our children deserve to eat well and receive a great education. I’d like to campaign for this in my area.
It’s another one in the eye for Thatcher’s policies. The kitchens should never have been ripped out. It’s great to read this and see it can be done. Universality is the key. All our children deserve to eat well and receive a great education. I’d like to campaign for this in my area.
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
Your headline would be honest if it said “Why our children need a Tax-Payer funded lunch……”
Sungei – completely agree that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Of course there is always a cost. However surely it is more economic to fund a decent school lunch for the nations school children if it saves money from NHS budget? Like it or not we have a growing health crisis fueled by poor nutrition. Using school meals is an effective and economical way to address this.
Sharon, Mrs Thatcher resigned from the premiership in 1990 (20 years ago) and actually left parliament in 1992 (18 years ago).How long are you going to keep on blaming her? Tony Blair took over as PM in 1997. How many NEW school kitchens have been built in the last 13 years I wonder??
Ps…I AM a great advocate of school meals. I work as a catering consultant with many local authorities, advising on the design of new and existing kitchens and the implementation of freshly cooked, on-site catering services – whether they are outsourced or locally managed.
I agree totally with this. Islington is a very mixed borough. The Liberals only look after the leafy lanes. We needed better school meals. Well done to Catherine and her team
David
(an Islington Dad)