Free school meals - what's happening at your school?

[KatieMumsnet]

Hi there

The BBC is reporting the challenges many schools are facing in the run up to introducing free school meals for infants (in England).

Nearly three thousand schools will have to improve their kitchens, while 1,700 schools currently have no kitchens at all.

We at MNHQ were just wondering what is happening at your kids' school? Is anything changing in the run up to free school meals being introduced in September? Are new buildings having to be added or changes made to where the school meals come from? Will the time your children have lunch or what they eat change? Is the school worried about the change or is it something being positively welcomed? Are you looking forward to the change?

Any thoughts - do let us know.

Thanks

KatieMumsnet

Lots of great thoughts. I must say the healthy school meals in my school are cooked on site, to guidelines. As staff we don't choose the eat them, the cook cooks us something else!

Standards won't change just because lunches are free, in fact with the costs for refurbishing kitchens and dining rooms there is likely to be less money. Wasted money, wasted food, hungry children!

Haven't heard anything from our school, but dinners are only £1 a day which I don't mind paying tbh.

We had a letter from DC's school today. They both currently have school dinners, £20 a week.

One will be moving up,to Key Stage 2 in September so,will only benefit from one lot of free school meals!

I don't think my childrens school are going to do it. They are saying they don't have space (which is absolutely true). Lunches are already staggered over 1 1/2 hrs and the eating hall is tiny.

I understand schools have to fund it too? I hope that's wrong.

I am not sure about all this. This costs a huge amount of money and is this public money spent wisely?

I am not convinced that our school dinners are all that healthy either, despite the shiny brochures - they are not cooked on site.

My DD (R) needs a high fibre diet due to issues with constipation and she has school dinners about twice a week because she likes them, but more as a treat. I indicated on the form that I would like to keep things as they are, meaning that DD has the occasional school dinner. Besides often she comes home starving and eats lots?!