Free school meals for all go on trial in London borough

Chef Jamie Oliver led a campaign to improve the standard of school dinners
12 April 2012

Every primary school child in a London borough will receive free school meals for the first time under a ground-breaking scheme launched today.

More than 30,000 children in Newham are expected to eat healthy lunches at school every day in the drive to cut obesity.

The two-year government pilot scheme will investigate whether giving free meals to all pupils improves their diets and boosts concentration in class. The policy could be extended across the country if it succeeds.

The scheme comes amid signs that the recession has increased the number of children living in poverty, with more pupils eligible for free school meals in England this year.

Newham was chosen because of the borough's high proportion of children from working class homes.

Almost 30 per cent of primary pupils in Newham are already eligible for free school meals because they come from the poorest families, compared with 16 per cent nationally.

But the scheme will extend eligibility to all pupils, regardless of their parents' income.

Newham mayor Sir Robin Wales said: "This pilot means we can make a huge difference to the lives of our pupils and our families, particularly those on the breadline.

"We are one of the country's poorest boroughs and many families have felt extra pressure on their budgets during the recession.

"This is a great way of both putting money in their pockets and of improving children's health and fitness, one of our top priorities, to boot."

School canteens in the borough will serve dishes such as chicken and vegetable pasta bake, spicy fajitas and breaded fish. Separate trials are under way in Durham and Wolverhampton.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls hopes free school meals for all pupils could be extended across the country but critics warn such a move could cost taxpayers £1billion.

Mr Balls said school dinners could save all parents money even if their children were not eligible for free meals.

"I encourage all families who are entitled to a free school meal to claim this valuable support," he said.

"For those who are not eligible school meals are still a great deal and give parents good value for money.

"Parents with two children could save over £1,000 in a school year if they chose school meals - as well as have the reassurance that their children are eating good quality, healthy food."

The project comes as new rules are introduced for secondary schools limiting the amounts of fat, sugar and salt canteens can use in meals and setting minimum levels of nutrients such as fibre, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and zinc.

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