AIBU to wonder why this isn't being rolled out to ALL children?

[CocacolaMum]

..and not just the under 7's! In reality I know it always comes down to cost but wouldn't it be a marvellous thing to know that all children are having 1 nutritious meal per day.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24132416?SThisFB

puts me in tricky position

dd1 loves school dinners but at 40quid a month we say yes 1-2 days a week.

next year dd2 starts-if she gets a place.
2015 dd3 starts

so they both be entitles

but ddyear 3 now wont be.

They would eat at same time in dining room.

dd1 would resent this.

often wonder

how reception kids feel about free milk
that their class mates will get free milk and they wont as they 5
I wonder this as dd2 sept birthday so she starts when shes 5.

I also mean to ask dd1 whats happening this year with fruit.
lastyear mixed year 1-2class so every afternoon everyone got free fruit.

This year shes year 3 in mixed year 2/3 clss so do 10year 2s in that clss get free fruit.

Ths change forces me to pay school meals for 3years for eldest.
also years crossover between dd2 and 3
then guess when dd2 and dd3 get juniors to suddely say you like school dinners but im stopping it.

most schools are all through primary.

quality school meals seems to vary ours seems good.
baffled why they not allowed platesor cutlery anymore.
ours is made off site at kitchen in larger primary.

Agree it is a wasteful idea that does not target or benefit those who need help the most. Why not use the money to give the current FSM children packed lunches on a Friday to take home for the weekend? That would be more effective is ensuring that children are adequately fed.
Plus I agree with the comment above. It is unfair to older siblings who might not be thrilled to watch their younger brothers and sisters sitting in the same lunch hall eating free fish, chips and ice cream! A wholemeal sand which and fruit will not seem as appealing .

See Rummikub that just highlights how ridiculous the policy is. My DH earns over £100k and my DD will get the chance of a free meal while your DC will not. What are the government thinking? It's making me mad. This government have never had my vote and will not be bribing me for it with a free school meal.

I do not think it is a great idea. Quality of school meals is already pretty poor in most schools (most schools DO NOT have kitchens and ship in from a central kitchen.).

Free for all - well reception and infants - will mean that contracts will go out to the LOWEST bidder.... we already have reformed fish, oven chips and arctic roll being mentioned - that reformed fish is ALREADY "river cobbler" - crappy fish bulk shipped in from the far-eastern fish farms, low in nutrition but high in bulk... how much cheaper can they get......

There seems to be some illusion that school dinners are this amazing thing that will benefit all children who receive them.

The reality is alot of the time it's processed shite no better than a ready meal. If I wanted my kid to eat like that I'd send them in with one.

Angels it is a farce. I accepted that ok i don't qualify for fsm as I get wtc. This new proposal just seems so unfair.

Stop giving academies so much money so they can follow their own curriculum and standards for school meals.

School dinners are rubbish and I begrudge paying for them. My dd (well trained child!) has noticed that there isn't a healthy option at school.

I so disagree with this. We earn enough and shouldn't be given this.
It should only be given on deprived areas.

I don't agree with it. There are loads of families who can afford to pay for school dinners. I would rather the money was spent on the NHS.

i agree with this 100%

Biggest waste of money since health in pregnancy grants. FFS.

I disagree with it and dread the day school dinners become compulsory.

My school does delicious home-cooked, locally sourced meals, but my DGC for one has serious food avoidance issues - eats certain foods and only certain foods. This would be dreadful for children such as this, because they would absolutely refuse to eat and it could have consequences for home too.

And there's the cost...

similar problems here, Nanny0GG.

The money does not come from a bottomless pit so I don't think it should be rolled out.

I don't agree with it our schools did it a few years ago for the infant years then it stopped the councils just can't afford it, the people who can afford school meals should pay simple as most children will get a meal at home it is the ones that do no they need to target,

In fact, I don't think that the Govt should be funding FSM anyway. Surely as a parent it is your responsibility to ensure that your children are fed?

well surely a parent who cannot afford meals should be given FSM we are a welfare state after all,

"Biggest waste of money since health in pregnancy grants."

Yes! Have greed with most of the changes made but this could have helped schools or hospitals.

If parents aren't feeding their children then social services should step in. Too many already have children they cant afford without throwing more money at them. I thought the government were trying to promote personal responsibility.

social services should step in and do what batter the parent over the head with a chicken nugget