Free school meals feed minds as well as bodies

The findings suggest that making free school meals universal would boost children's educational attainment as well as having nutritional benefits.

The Department for Education and Department of Health report, which evaluated the effect of the free school meals (FSM) two-year pilot in three local authorities, found that in Newham and Durham, where all primary pupils were offered FSM, children at Key Stage 1 and 2, showed improved attainment.

Here, the improvements tended to be strongest among pupils from less affluent families and those with lower attainment.However, in Wolverhampton, where the FSM entitlement was extended only to primary and secondary pupils whose families were on Working Tax Credit and whose annual income did not exceed £16,040 in 2009-10 and £16,190 in 2010-11, there was no change in children's attainment.

Currently, pupils are only entitled to free school meals if their parents claim means-tested out-of-work benefits of Child Tax Credit and have an income of no more than £16,190.

The Evaluation of the Free School Meals Pilot: Impact Report by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), and by Susan Purdon of Bryson Purdon Social Research (BPSR), also found that children in the universal pilot were more likely to choose hot meals and less likely to eat crisps and consume soft drinks.

In contrast, the extended entitlement pilot had no impact on children's eating habits and had fewer positive effects than the universal entitlement pilot on parents' attitudes to diet and school meals.

The universal pilot also increased the take-up of school meals, including among children who were already eligible for free school meals. Most pupils took up the offer, with one in ten primary children having at least one free school meal a week by the end of the pilot.

However, the extended entitlement pilot did not significantly increase take-up among entitled pupils.

Judy Hargadon, chief executive of the School Food Trust, said, 'These findings are serious food for thought.

'These results show how important it is to ensure every child living in poverty gets a free school meal and, at the very least, that we keep good school meals affordable for everyone else. It's a reminder for policymakers, head teachers, local authorities and parents that investing in good food for children at school results in a big return for their diet and education.'

The GMB union's national secretary for public services, Brian Strutton, said, 'It should not be a surprise that free healthy school meals lead to better educational outcomes. Not only is a good school meal often the only proper meal some disadvantaged children get, but GMB members in schools report on a trend among working parents to send their children to school with crisps and chocolate in their packed lunches. The Government and local authorities should work together to extend universal free school meals that are healthy and nutritious to all primary children at least.'

Since the pilot ended, Newham has continued to provide free school meals to all children in its 66 primary schools. Durham is also offering school meals at a reduced rate.