Free school meals for all infant children

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What do you think? I think it's a great idea.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24132416

It's just utterly unfair.My 3 are KS 2 so we won't be getting it.

When my dp does silly hours his wages come over the CB threshold,we're 22 years unmarried too.

Sooo we're losing CB,not getting free school dinners,no married tax allowance,no second tax threshold and we pay a higher tax rate.

Basically because we're not the a condems picture of an ideal family of two working,married parents with keystage 1 children we can go hang.

Basically families on a lot more are getting a stonking amount of extra money before you even factor in help with childcare.

Are they going to force schools who currently don't provide a school dinner at all to ship them in?

Sorry if thats already been asked.

Otherwise I think its a really good idea but annoying as my dd (7yo) will have missed out. I have struggled to pay and still do for her school dinners as although we are on a tiny income (single parent) because i work p/t we aren't entitled to fsm.

Looking at my DCs school menu, over a week both my DCs wouldn't even eat the equivalent of one meal. It's not helped by the horrible plastic trays its served on. The menu itself is better than when I was at school but a lot is more what I'd eat like curry/chilli.

They aren't overly fussy for their age but don't like most of the menu. They don't like jacket potato which is on offer every day. They also don't like parsley sauce which is on at least on meal a week e.g. breadcrumbed fish and parsley sauce. Can't say I blame them as I can't stand the smell beer mind eating it.

The only way mine would eat anything is if there was a sandwich option or different menu.

I just can't see it working especially for allergies.

I think it's a really good thing to do - my DC have always had a school dinner as I feel it's a good healthy option, and better for them than a packed lunch (which are also a hassle to do every morning).
We always had school dinners back in the day, and I'm surprised how many have opted out these days.
I think removing any possible stigma of free school meals will be good too - I like the equality aspect of free dinners for all children (in KS1)
Hopefully this will mean more children having a good meal at lunch time, and help create healthier attitudes to eating for life.

Totally agree! Why give them for free to people who can afford them. I smell an election campaign....

I think they should spend more time ensuring the school meals are actually healthy before funding them for all. I'd like to see a ban on artificial sweeteners for a start, and the use of whole grains rather than masses of processed carbs. If they REALLY want to make school meals healthier these are fairly basic changes that make a big difference.

I do quite like the idea in principle - my DD (5) is very fussy and I think school meals and meals at nursery helped broaden her diet.

Overall I'm cynical about it though and see this as largely a headline grabbing political move.

Instead of fee school meals for some they could have subsidised the cost of school meals for all primary children so everyone could benefit. I am also not convinced of the quality of school meals so perhaps the funding could have gone to schools to improve this while lowering costs to parents. Headline grabbing gimmick.

There is no stigma re school meals.

Dinner ladies,children and those getting them have no idea who has them free,paid online or cash in the office.

In theory it's a good thing but i wait to see the quality and nutritional content of them.
My worry is that you wont be allowed to send a packed lunch for your dc. (Days when they dont like the meals on offer, family circumstance etc)

i think the offer will be withdrawn (after the election) and schools will not allow a return to packed lunches. I can certainly see the letter now from school "we no longer have the facilities for your child to have a packed lunch. School dinners are now £2.50".

Schools have almost a year to plan for this. Prehaps they will have to have staggered lunch breaks, build a new canteen or take on more staff.

And where's the money to build canteens or hire new staff supposed to come from?

I confess to not having read the full thread, so previous posters may already have raised this. But why dofamilies the government deem to not need CB need FSM?

I don't get how there's money for one and not the other? Don't get me wrong. If cuts have to be made, I'd rather DH and I 'lost' CB than it come from a pot affecting more vulnerable people, but I don't understand then giving the money back in this way?

My dds school doesn't have the kitchen facilities to cook. Food is brought in from external supplier ready cooked.

Ours can barely cope as it is with a huge kitchen.By the time the older ones eat(very late)they never get their choice and get half what the younger ones get as they're running out.

If the whole of ks1 are having a school meal there will be buggar all for the older ones whose parents will have paid for them.

As long as it does not impact on the quality and variety of school Mrs My eldest started Reception last week, the menu is amazing, and my previously reluctant eater is now eating everything in sight.

Having worked in schools I'd certainly agree with you that there's nothing you could call stigma about receiving free school meals these days.
Everything possible is done to treat all children equally.
Nevertheless I think free meals for all children in KS1 will have a positive effect in terms of equality for all.

I think there could be some social factors for some parents in choosing a packed lunch or school dinner, whether that's mainly the cost and perceived value of the meal, or possibly some people choosing packed lunch to show they're not on FSM ? Maybe that's crazy but packed lunches do seem to have become the done thing for a certain social group?

I think it's a good idea.

I like the idea of the children sitting down eating a meal together. I would do away with those awful long tables attached to stools and those prison style trays though. It should be a time where children are encourage to have good table manners. Staff should eat with the children to encourage this like in some private schools.

Why can they not start fsm as soon as possible. By the time they come in my dds will miss out. As usual the Government gets it wrong. How can they think its ok to offer half the children fsm and not the other half. Honestly this Government is full of half wits.

In principle a good idea . However on the back of CB cuts for higher earners then give them the equivalent (or more) in free meals . What about those same children who still need it, perhaps even more so, when they reach 7+.

I like the idea of the children sitting down eating a meal together - but it won't be like that will it? It will be canteen style with those prison trays - they are horrible - & shipped in meals; back in my day (the 60s ) we did sit round - 8 to a table, with a dinner lady or teacher at each table, proper china and the food served from proper serving dishes on the table.

But the food was still disgusting, I can remember the taste of the fish in 'tomato' sauce to this day . Once I had to sit wth my brother for an hour because he wouldn't eat the lumpy custard, he finally ate it and was promptly sick all over the table.

This is just a publicity stunt, by all means raise the 'threshold' for FSM but it is a huge waste of money.

Even if they were amazing i would still send a packed lunch,we all eat together at 6-7ish in the evenings,a proper meal with side dishes and a dessert,its been chaotic over the years as they are 5 4 3 and 1 but as they are getting older its something we really enjoy,the last year the change has been huge and i wouldnt want to stop that.

I'm not swayed by this argument about why give it to people who can afford to pay for it. You could apply that to anything - should people who can 'afford' it pay £10 for a GP appointment? Pay an hourly rate for the police's time when they're burgled?

There are some things that the state should provide free for everyone and most people would agree that education is one. I don't think it's outrageous that a hot, healthy meal for a small child is part of that education, particularly when it's proven to have a positive effect on the education itself!

I keep hearing onhere how people think its wrong how high earners should get things like fsm etc,WHY?we put in more than most so why the fuck shouldnt we get something back?how things have changed....

I would rather continue to pay for my school meals and keep the library open. This is not a vote winner for me.

I think it's a truly stupid idea.

Spending millions on free school meals for children who don't need them whilst leaving the parents of those that do struggling to feed them outside of school? How does that make sense? At the same time as cutting money to the most vulnerable, handing it to those that don't need it!

I agree with your ringaringarosy - our dc are too old to benefit from this , dc1 was too old for early years funding, both missed out on the child accounts and we have lost CB. Does the policy include private schools and nurseries?