Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tories going to axe free school meals

640 replies

cannotbelievethistoday · 18/05/2017 06:46

So I have 2 children in private school.

Labour want to put VAT on private school fees, and extend free school meals to all primary children.

Tories are going to remove infant free school meals.

Bloody hell. And still people will vote Tory.

(My 2 kids are in private school - I totally agree with labour on this one)

OP posts:
alreadytaken · 18/05/2017 07:14

a Tory policy I actually agree with, I know the argument for universal benefits but htere are other ways to address the problem of stigma.

The Tories are ruining the economy, removing benefit payments from sick and dying people and driving the NHS into the ground, can't see that this is in the same league.

GreyVelvet · 18/05/2017 07:14

Is this abolishing all fsm or just universal non means tested fsm?

RoseAndRose · 18/05/2017 07:14

We didn't have universal FSM until September 2014.

The policy was a Clegg one.

Universality of winter fuel allowance going as well.

Osolea · 18/05/2017 07:14

I dislike many Tory policies, but this is a good one. The vast majority of children don't need the government to pay for their school lunches because they have parents that can do it for them or who can make them a packed lunch. There are far better things to spend public money on rather than things that people can reasonably be expected to pay for for themselves.

makeourfuture · 18/05/2017 07:15

it had a nice rhyming press slogan

Like:

May, May, May,
She takes poor people's pensions away.

MacarenaFerreiro · 18/05/2017 07:15

Good!

It's a very poor use of money. They aren't getting rid of free school meals for everyone, they're means testing it. Just like it used to be. If you can afford school meals for your child you should be paying for them.

I also approve of them means testing the WInter Fuel Allowance.

Original poster
cannotbelievethistoday · 18/05/2017 07:16

Wow. Well the response on here has shocked but educated me. I am offering to be taxed more, for a fundamental policy change, and people are telling me to keep my money and they will pay more themselves.

OP posts:
bumbleymummy · 18/05/2017 07:16

Good. 'Universal free school meals' is unnecessary and a waste of money that could be better spent elsewhere.

Gileswithachainsaw · 18/05/2017 07:16

Well the fsm thing wasn't well thought out anyway.

And quality has gone down in many places as a result.

Money would have been better spent increasing the threshold so fsm covered everyone it needed to.

I think people pay enough for private schools without having to pay extra.

And anyone who trusted the Tories to keep these things up, well....

meditrina · 18/05/2017 07:16

Removing universality, and reverting to the previous system.

BTW, councils can fund universal FSM even when central govt doesn't. So if universality is something you see as important, you can lobby for it via your councillor.

catcatcatcat · 18/05/2017 07:17

I wouldn't qualify for FSM. But it would now be another bill that would be a real struggle.

There is a point to the policy, just like the school I work in providing a nutritious breakfast for students.

TheNaze73 · 18/05/2017 07:17

I agree with the policy. We stopped at two children as carefully budgeting at the time, we realised that is what we could afford & still live comfortably.
Why the hell should the state pay for my children's food? Means tested for where it's needed naturally but, ridiculous it's for all.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 18/05/2017 07:17

Not a problem, doesn't effect those who genuinely can't afford school meals and still qualify.

SomuchSlow · 18/05/2017 07:18

"I can afford to pay the VAT, as can all the parents in my children's classes."

Good for you; we can't, and a lot of other families in our area won't be able to. Our primary schools are already seriously oversubscribed and are about to lose a shed load more funding per head (over 600 pounds).

I support free school meals - though i think enforced smoking cessation should occur with families where the parents smoke.

MaisyPops · 18/05/2017 07:18

I'd rather expand funding for all schools and get rid of universal free school meals in primary.

My school (like many secondaries in my area) is losing over half a million pounds next year.

I want to know my students have access to Camhs, I want to be able to resource my classroom using school money, I want to not have 32 kids in my class. My colleagues want to have their jobs protected and not be told that they have to teach science when they have a geography degree.
I want kids to have the right to qualified teachers and not so what some academy chains are doing and employing unqualified teachers on £16,000 a year who have done zero training. I want the government to sort out the grade 4/5 pass chaos at gcse (because they've made 4 a pass to avoid resits but a 5 is what many places will want. All because they predicted a drop in the pass rate and realised that they can't afford to give kids a chance at the 5).
They're the pressing issues in education. Not sandwiches and private schools.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 18/05/2017 07:18

Well the response on here has shocked but educated me. I am offering to be taxed more, for a fundamental policy change, and people are telling me to keep my money and they will pay more themselves.

No people are saying the money should be spent where it is needed.

You say you can afford it. Lovely. What about others?

SuperBeagle · 18/05/2017 07:18

cat But feeding your own children is hardly "another bill"? Hmm

SouthWestmom · 18/05/2017 07:18

Good. People shouldn't have parental duties taken away from them : they should have to do them if they can. Tbh I'm not even convinced re: low income families getting them free but I can see the case there.

PurpleDaisies · 18/05/2017 07:18

I agree with abolishing universal free school meals. It would be much better to support those children from poor families better rather than wasting money on those who can afford to pay.

GreyVelvet · 18/05/2017 07:19

If it's just moving back to means testing I agree with it, but yes the threshold could be lowered

CrazedZombie · 18/05/2017 07:23

I agree with the Tories 😱

There are much better things that this money can be spent on like making sure all primary schools have decodable phonics books or making sure that FSM get 100% uniform and school shoe grants (unlike the partial ones offered here)

I realise that it's unlikely that schools will see this money but school lunches aren't particularly nutritious and parents can make packed lunches for much less cost than a school dinner.

LuluJakey1 · 18/05/2017 07:23

The problem with it not being a universal offer is it isn't always the children of parents who can't afford it who don't get good food provided by home and in very small children nutrition is a huge factor in their development.
So you get parents who just are not good parents, who could afford it but send their child with hardly anything or utter rubbish in their packed lunch. I have actually seen a 5 year old with a bag of cheese puffs and a can of red bull.
Free lunches make sure every child can have a nutritious lunch for definite.
I agree it is not the most pressing educational priority but I understand what he is trying to do.
The biggest problems schools face are caused by:

  1. Tory policies (re:curriculum, assessment, budget cuts and the chaos that is academisation)
  2. Poor parenting
SoupDragon · 18/05/2017 07:23

Isn't she promising every child free breakfast instead?

Only1scoop · 18/05/2017 07:23

'I can afford to pay the VAT, as can all the parents in my children's classes'
How on earth would you know that?

My DC is private but if she was still in a state school I'd buy her lunch thanks.

avocadosripe · 18/05/2017 07:24

Again, it's because - who is going to pay for it?