The Isle of Wight National Education Union (NEU) has handed a petition – signed by 518 Islanders – to the Isle of Wight’s MP calling for free school meals for all primary school children
It follows Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana handing in a letter to 10 Downing Street last week calling for free school meals for all primary school children. It was signed by more than 90,000 people and 200 organisations, charities, faith groups, politicians and celebrities.
Commenting on the petitions, Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union, said:
“We are grateful to all those, who took the time to support this important issue. Research rationale is crystal clear. Nutritious food is the core constituent of well-being.”
“Too many are in denial and are prioritising wealth over hunger. Too many still fail to grasp the impact of hunger on every aspect on the lives of young people. Between Autumn 2018-19 and Autumn 2022-23, the number of Isle of Wight children eligible for income-related free school meals increased from 2,452 to 4,008.”
“We already offer free school meals for our youngest primary school children. For the 1st 3 years of school, every child in England gets a hot school dinner. But from year 3 upwards, this provision stops. It needs to be extended, so that every child has the chance to thrive and eat a hot dinner together with their friends together.
“Hunger is increasing dental issues. Not only the scale, but also the severity of health issues facing pupils has been worsening as food prices soar and poverty increases. This continues to impact not only on physical health, but also mental health and behaviour.”
“The link between height, nutrition and social circumstances can already be seen in childhood. Latest research even indicates “height is a strong indicator of general living conditions, including illness and infection, stress, poverty and sleep quality.”
Article continues below this advertisement “Let’s help children thrive; free school meals for all primary pupils will certainly help!”
With the amount of state benefits so many parents get, there shouldn’t be a need for free school meals – all parents should have to pay for their kids food – we, the taxpayer, shouldn’t be stumping up for other peoples kids food.
surely it’d be better to give the kids a proper meal every day, rather than giving the patents more money spend on drugs,…
Obviously, there is no chance that benefits would be cut to pay for free school meals. A better option would be to bring back the workhouses. Three meals a day and they would actually have to do some work.
Perhaps the union as it has many millions in the bank would like to fund this venture,
All well and good, but if the quality is crap it’s doing more harm than good.
Should be weaning kids off processed food like chips and nuggets.
Not all well and good. People in this country should pay for their own meals. They all earn enough or are given plenty in handouts. Maybe some fat lazy buggers should be given lessons in how to make sandwiches for their little darlings rather than expecting free school meals.
Have you actually seen school meal menus recently? I guess not.
Couldn’t agree more, I wouldn’t care if it was free I still wouldn’t have my kids eating the rubbish they feed them I’d rather send them with a healthy non processed lunch.
Doesn’t every parent already receive child benefits in the form of money into their bank accounts every month?
£24 per week is a lot of meals for a child.
I agree with you. The state already pays parents benefit for every child. The first child receives £24 per week and £15.90 for additional children. Currently, the cost for primary school dinners is £2.80 daily, which equates to £14 per week. The parent could save money by making a packed lunch for their children.
In the ’70s, when I was at school, no one had money (3-day-week). Yet, parents still managed to clothe and feed their children. My mum would go without, so my siblings and I were clothed and fed. This was commonplace back then. Then again, there were no mobile phones, Netflix, Xbox subscriptions or nail bars to worry about.
If you cannot afford to look after children, don’t have them.
Same. We all had a sandwich, bag of crisps and a biscuit. Was allowed 1 school meal a week as a treat!
It’s the right thing to do! Government are rises taxes included childcare where all parents suffered due to low incomes that they could not afford. Some parents pulled their children out and homeschooled them because of it!
Government please just stop with rises prices in childcare society where parents couldn’t afford roughly £4 per day at school and the stores are ridiculously not cutting their prices down if they are having packed lunches. Yes they do have free lunch vouchers for school but they ain’t enough everyday if the stores don’t have any.
It’s sad to see that governments doesn’t see how much stress and frustration that parents going through, especially the children whose have big hunger issues at school.
no, they pulled kids out of school due to woke lgbtq BS being rammed down the kids throat.
pulling a kid out of school saves nothing – does the kid not eat when at home – if you feed that kid at home, then you give it the same food for lunch at school then it costs you the same
if you are a sponger, then pulling the kid out of school actually means they don’t get a free lunch at school, you have to pay at home.
All benefits, including free school meals, should be means tested. A household with a 60k combined salary living in 4 bed detached doesn’t need to have school meals subsidised.
A poorly thought out idea in my opinion. The state should not be assuming the role of parents. Its morally incoherent, very expensive and doesn’t do it as well.
Why not let the unions pay for the free meals they are intent on destroying everbody else’s
life.
As a tax payer i am fed up with more and more money going on benefits.
To those, who are sceptical, I suggest wider reading.
A 2022 analysis of UK costs and benefits by PwC is clear. Benefits include:
– cost saving to schools, increased lifetime earnings when children reach adulthood, means more tax paid.
– increased savings on food costs to families and NHS savings, as obesity and ill health decrease.
PwC estimated, by expanding free school meals between 2025 and 2045, there would be a staggering £99.5bn saved.
This is not a new idea. Sweden introduced free lunches in the 1940s. Cooked meals were meticulously planned in terms of nutrition. The outcome: a positive impact on their height, health, the level of education attained, and their lifetime income.
Surely, a win win for everyone?
Have as many children as you can afford. I had 1. Suited me perfectly. Didn’t need to sponge! It’s like when people spout off about uniforms; You know if ur gonna have a child, you’ll need to feed it! And you know schools have had uniforms for many years! It’s really not a shocker!
Totally against this, who’s going to pay for it – oh yes low paid tax payers so benefit people again get better off than poor.
Needs investigating – how can a small school meal that is mass produced cost more than one you can prepare yourself?.
I benifited from having School meal from 1948 to 1960, We were all glad to have it.