A quarter of state school pupils receiving free school meals

[bitchstewie]

Taken at face value this is a shocking statistic when you compare to 2015 when it was 1 in 7.

A quarter of state school pupils in England receiving free school meals

[Biggy Stardust]

Genuine need or parents playing the benefit system?

[119]

Who are we going to blame for this one?

[Rivenink]

Biggy Stardust said:

Genuine need or parents playing the benefit system?

I think it's important to understand the causes, but I don't think it's necessarily parents playing the benefit system.

More likely something to do with the unstable nature of relationships these days. Parents split, parent with custody become eligible for benefits.

[S600BSB]

bhstewie said:

Taken at face value this is a shocking statistic when you compare to 2015 when it was 1 in 7.

A quarter of state school pupils in England receiving free school meals

Not really surprised as the levels of child poverty in the UK are shameful.

[Jamescrs]

My daughter is in high school and has food tech lessons which essentially seems to be about teaching kids how to prepare food, she told me about a kid she sits next to whose parents apparently can't afford to send their child with the ingredients for the lessons where they are cooking.
I've started sending my daughter with extra ingredients so she can share it, whatever the families issues I can imagine it must be horrible for the kid to have to admit to someone they can't participate in such a simple thing.

[Last Visit]

Jamescrs said:

My daughter is in high school and has food tech lessons which essentially seems to be about teaching kids how to prepare food, she told me about a kid she sits next to whose parents apparently can't afford to send their child with the ingredients for the lessons where they are cooking.
I've started sending my daughter with extra ingredients so she can share it, whatever the families issues I can imagine it must be horrible for the kid to have to admit to someone they can't participate in such a simple thing.

What a sad tale, I'd do similar myself.

Whatever people situations its not the childrens fault.

Like a lot of people I'll admit to having a whine and a rant sometimes about what my taxes are spent on, but I wholeheartedly have no issue with them usimg them to put a hot meal in front of a child if thats the only one they get all day. Sad statistics Stewie.

[WestyCarl]

Last Visit said:

Jamescrs said:

My daughter is in high school and has food tech lessons which essentially seems to be about teaching kids how to prepare food, she told me about a kid she sits next to whose parents apparently can't afford to send their child with the ingredients for the lessons where they are cooking.
I've started sending my daughter with extra ingredients so she can share it, whatever the families issues I can imagine it must be horrible for the kid to have to admit to someone they can't participate in such a simple thing.

What a sad tale, I'd do similar myself.

Whatever people situations its not the childrens fault.

My wife works in a primary (good area) and all the kids get an afternoon fruit snack.The teachers are always on the lookout for kids taking more than one piece as a safegaurding issue (they are hungy)

My wife has even found children taking and hiding fuit in their clothing for later. Turns out for packed lunch's they were only sent in with a pack of crisps.

It's desperately sad.

[Downward]

Biggy Stardust said:

Genuine need or parents playing the benefit system?

When the MIL worked in a poor school area the kids getting free school meals were better fed then those not eligible.

[valiant]

And yet we seem more concerned about private schools pupils having to pay VAT.

Let’s see if this thread ends up as long as the one in the Lounge. I suspect not.

[Downward]

Jamescrs said:

My daughter is in high school and has food tech lessons which essentially seems to be about teaching kids how to prepare food, she told me about a kid she sits next to whose parents apparently can't afford to send their child with the ingredients for the lessons where they are cooking.
I've started sending my daughter with extra ingredients so she can share it, whatever the families issues I can imagine it must be horrible for the kid to have to admit to someone they can't participate in such a simple thing.

Yeah it’s common. My daughter forgot something once and the teachers had bought in plenty of spares.
Back in the 90’s I don’t remember teachers ever having to do this. Guess back then most parents made meals from fresh food.

[bitchstewie]

Last Visit said:

What a sad tale, I'd do similar myself.

Whatever people situations its not the childrens fault.

Like a lot of people I'll admit to having a whine and a rant sometimes about what my taxes are spent on, but I wholeheartedly have no issue with them usimg them to put a hot meal in front of a child if thats the only one they get all day. Sad statistics Stewie.

Quite.

I was in two minds whether to post it as there seems to be a rather miserable mindset with some people that it's all about whether the children are "deserving" or something along those lines rather than considering both how we've ended up here as well as whether ensuring that all kids get at least one decent meal a day at school might just be money well spent.

[Biggy Stardust]

bhstewie said:

Quite.

I was in two minds whether to post it as there seems to be a rather miserable mindset with some people that it's all about whether the children are "deserving" or something along those lines rather than considering both how we've ended up here as well as whether ensuring that all kids get at least one decent meal a day at school might just be money well spent.

Can't blame the kids at all. Some parents might well be at fault.

[Pit Pony]

I'd like to pay more tax, and have ALL children in school provided with a well made, well balanced nourishing meal for free. I hate that 1/4 of kids are going to be treated differently. I'd like nobody to know who is on benefits.
Plus kids are often the meanest little tts and making everyone equal would remove any bullying risks.

[BoRED S2upid]

bhstewie said:

Taken at face value this is a shocking statistic when you compare to 2015 when it was 1 in 7.

A quarter of state school pupils in England receiving free school meals

It’s 100% in Wales! Just giving free food out no matter your circumstances free food for all!

[Biggy Stardust]

Pit Pony said:

I'd like to pay more tax, and have ALL children in school provided with a well made, well balanced nourishing meal for free. I hate that 1/4 of kids are going to be treated differently. I'd like nobody to know who is on benefits.
Plus kids are often the meanest little tts and making everyone equal would remove any bullying risks.

A school I built had a school meal payment machine that could store a credit balance, loaded up online & paid via a card. The FSM kids had it loaded up on the quiet to prevent this issue.

[Gecko1978]

Why can't parents feed the kids they have?

I would guess it's in no particular order

Cost of living
Low wages
Increased rents
Benefits system that disincentivises work
Poor life choices
Private schools (well might as well add it in for valiant)

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Who are you blaming?

The government or the system that makes it easier to live on benefits than work with pride?


It won't change in July.

Those that work work harder to pay for those that don't.

[T6 vanman]

I'd expect the figure to be a lot higher,

Based on the fact the gobberment provides FSM for all R~2 grades under the UIFSM programme
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/univers...
And R~2 is 1/4 of a child's schooling R~11, I'd completely expect 1/4 being in receipt of a FSM.

Completely agree with the sentiment that no child should be hungry irrespective of background / parents life choices etc

[Gecko1978]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

Who are you blaming?

The government or the system that makes it easier to live on benefits than work with pride?


It won't change in July.

Those that work work harder to pay for those that don't.

It wasn't a blame more a note that the problem is probably multi faceted