Free school lunches for infants - what do you think?

[KateSMumsnet]

Starting this month, in accordance with plans announced last year, all pupils in English primary schools up to the end of Year 2 will be eligible to receive free school meals.

How do you feel about the changes? Is it money well-spent, or could the funds be put to better, more targeted use? Has your school had to make any changes such as building new rooms or using classrooms? Are you glad to have lunches taken care of, or would you prefer to make your child's lunch? Have you seen the new menus, and are you happy with them? Will any of you be opting out?

We'd love to hear what you think - do let us know below. And keep your eyes peeled for a guest post on the nutritional value of school meals, coming later this week.

p.s For those of you still making a pack-up every morning, try out this recipe for the perfect lunch box bars (you can still make them even if your DC are at Uni, we won't tell)

Raven I can tell you posted but not read it, can you see yours or is it the mobile app playing up again?

I can't see ravens post either

I can read it if I flip the thread!

I completely agree with you Raven, I worry that this is intentional tbh, do something that looks generous but actually leads to cuts via making it harder for those in need to claim what they are entitled to - but that is my cynical hat talking. I would like to hope that those in charge are not actually that selfish and heartless.

Are the pp statistics released annually?

I can see it, yup! I just said:

'Bear in mind that PP funding lasts for 6 years, too.

So a family that were eligible for FSM in infants - but didn't claim because of universal FSM - & whose circumstances have changed enough to put them over the threshold in year 2, will then presumably miss out on PP for the entire junior stage.

Personally, I think that extra funding might've been more use to the school than having the infant offspring of its more affluent parents fed by the taxpayer.

But again, we won't see the effects of its loss for some time.'

I do think the people defending this policy very genuinely believe that it's a good thing, & I fully respect that. In a perfect world I'd like to see it implemented if there were a way of doing that with decent funding, regulation of food quality & a serious focus on the PP problem; I'm just not seeing any of that as a reality.

It isn't anything new that some parents don't claim FSM even though they are entitled (there's a current thread where poster sees it as a stigma so pays) so schools are used to chasing up parents. It isn't something that's suddenly changed with free infant lunches.

So if we have an existing problem (parental reluctance to take up an entitlement to vital education funding for fear of stigma), then perhaps we shouldn't be exacerbating it by removing the direct incentive?

I'd be pleased to hear that this problem had been acknowledged & addressed, but it seems to be being left to individual schools to pursue, or not.

How does your secretary know which parents to ring, btw?

No reluctant to register for free school meals because of preceived stigma not reluctance to take up entitlement for Pupil Premium once situation is explained.

perceived

But if they were reluctant before they are even less likely to do it now! At least before they felt they were benefiting now they won't so are less likely to apply

No because now there is no stigma as everyone gets free meals

But the kids don't know who doesn't pay for food. It's the asking for the forms that's the off putting thing. And that's the part they still need to do

To be fair, we don't know for sure that this definitely will hurt pupil premium funding.

Anymore than we know that it'll raise/lower/not affect the attainment/health of all/some children.

Unfortunately, we aren't going to know any of these things for some years.

But meanwhile, some short term political capital may have been made; & my youngest had pasta & beans & a biscuit for lunch today, for the third time in six days...

Ask the parents why they scrimpt to pay for school lunch Giles

scrimp

Loss of PP funding is a big concern. But the way PP is calculated and provided to schools is a big issue too. Something like 25% of families who are eligible for PP do not claim and schools lose out on the funding. The funding was already failing a big minority of its intended recipients. One of the ways universal FSM is thought to be effective is by providing for these hidden families. Pupil premium needs a rethink, it's based on a benefit that was never designed to be a gateway to increased school budgets.

Our school has tried to increase PP funding by encouraging parents (all parents) to fill in the forms as a matter of course at the beginning of each school year. Those who qualify do still get free uniform, so there is an incentive to qualify. Our school also offered a school sweatshirt for each completed application (whether you qualify or not) last year.

Giles When I was a kid we qualified for FSM but my mother didn't take them up. She felt all benefits were a failure and took as little as she could manage on. I asked her last night if she would have applied if it had been for pupil premium for the shcool and she said of course, because that was helping out the school (I don't really buy her logic, but it's how she thinks).

PP needs to be disconnected from FSMs. Our school is also worried about the effect the universal FSMs will have - they have well over average numbers of FSMs, and from experience, it is difficult to get some of these families to fill in forms, and the FSMs provided an incentive, whereas now they won't have that.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/11090606/Parents-remove-14-children-from-school-after-headmistress-bans-packed-lunches.html

I think it is a great idea. My kids are fussy eaters and are much better at eating in the company of their peers. Our school cooks on site and the menu is great and my kids report back positively. I'm sure not much of it is organic but I am pretty relaxed about that.

One one hand, we are struggling so it helps, plus opportunity to try new food. On the other, she won't always choose the healthiest option, often chooses pasts and always seems to have some kind of cake or ice cream. I'd never give her cake every day so why does the school offer cake?!

Whilst I commend any universal benefits as they are without stigma, it seems incredulous that we, as a country can afford this when services to the most needy are being cut left right and centre. It's almost as if the Tories have gone after this as a vote winner...

My dd had cheese wheel,chips and a coconut biscuit Friday.On asking what veg or fruit she'd had she said none as they don't have to.

I need her to have several portions during the course of the day if she is to consume the recommended amount and think f&v really should be an integral part of the meal.

I think it is utter tosh (and a really rubbish idea) for all the reasons I have said on here already.

I would rather the money was used in other ways.

I think it is BRILLIANT dd's whole class are now sitting and eating a hot meal together, she isn't that hungry in the pm and they are getting much more protein into her than I could ever get her to eat in her packed lunch.

Most packed lunches are NOT very good nutritionally (I spent a year on a school governors' lunchtime committee, a lot of kids get given such garbage in their lunch boxes) My dd is such a fussy eater that this is great for me, hooray!

we were given a sheet to fill in with our choices for the children's lunch for the first half term. fine. I filled it in.

Now it turns out the kids are given what they ask for regardless of parental choice, so my 4 year old is choosing his own lunch...

How the hell am I supposed to meal plan and keep his diet ballanced when I ask what he's had and am told "I don't 'member."

and even if he does remember I have no idea if he actually ate any of it (he can be reluctant with food...)

Wouldn't that be a problem with school meals regardless of whether they are free ebwy?