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Original poster

Free School Meals For All Primary In London?

34 replies

roses2 · 13/08/2023 16:48

Hi, a few months ago Sadiq Khan announced free school meals from September 2023 for 1 year for all primary.

I've heard nothing since and the school haven't mentioned it.

Does anyone know if it's going ahead for sure?

https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-mayor-does/priorities-london/free-school-meals

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Seagullchippy · 14/08/2023 10:44

Typz · 13/08/2023 18:10

No it isn’t.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch. This just means taxpayers are buying meals for other people’s kids.

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That's what taxes are for.

Username1107 · 14/08/2023 11:04

Just in time to persuade voters to vote him in for another term, after which he can get back to running London into the ground.

pastypirate · 14/08/2023 11:14

Finally some good news!

viques · 14/08/2023 13:10

Please make sure that you still put in an application for free school meals, even if they are being provided! FSM entitlement is a marker for additional school funding, and that funding will follow a child through to Y6. Schools really depend on this, and it also highlights child poverty issues so it is really important that every one still puts in applications.

hockeygrass · 14/08/2023 14:02

Yes @viques , for the role I have the concern is the PPG funding will drop as the school will need to be more proactive to get parents to sign up.

Also in my part of Greater London it's ironic the parents of central Richmond will benefit whilst the parents in areas of bordering Surrey which has pockets of poverty will have to pay for junior school lunches.

OhCrumbsWhereNow · 15/08/2023 19:09

Southwark brought in free school lunches for all primary kids years ago.

Huge success and much less admin for the school staff.

At DD's primary, a lot of those parents who could have afforded to pay did things like pay extra towards school trips and other things to help subsidise the costs. It wasn't organised or anything - just found that lots of us were putting in extra towards any child who was in need... that way children didn't get singled out as not being able to do everything the others could.

liveforsummer · 15/08/2023 21:32

viques · 14/08/2023 13:10

Please make sure that you still put in an application for free school meals, even if they are being provided! FSM entitlement is a marker for additional school funding, and that funding will follow a child through to Y6. Schools really depend on this, and it also highlights child poverty issues so it is really important that every one still puts in applications.

Here in Scotland it makes dc eligible for a whole host of extras - yearly uniform grant at £100 per child , free daily milk, holiday lunch payments off the top of my head. Loads of parents don't realise and don't apply (although the income threshold is very small so generally just those on full benefits are eligible)

Original poster
roses2 · 11/09/2023 08:59

My two are back at school but haven't sent any communication out at all about the free lunches although I can see a credit being applied in my lunch account.

Is this a loss leader for schools? Can't think why they wouldn't mention it to parents.

OP posts:
ApoodlecalledPenny · 11/09/2023 09:17

Ask your school? Ours announced it only the day before term started and said it’s for “this year” so may not be a permanent thing.

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