The new polling of 10,000 teachers commissioned by School Food Matters (SFM) also found that a quarter (25%) of teachers have either personally purchased food for hungry children this academic year, or know a colleague who has. In schools with higher levels of deprivation, that figure increased to 33% of teachers.
Unsurprisingly, when asked, the majority of teachers (67%) said they agree with the statement that all children should receive a free school meal, regardless of their family’s income status.
SFM commissioned Teacher Tapp to carry out the polling to find out the extent and impact of child hunger at school and to demonstrate the overwhelming support and need for school food for all in England.
We published the findings today to coincide with the launch of the School Food Review’s new report – The Superpowers of Free School Meals. It lays out evidence demonstrating the multiple benefits of expanding free school meals, starting with all children from families in receipt of Universal Credit or equivalent benefits, as a first step to universal free school meals.
These benefits include not only better health and wellbeing, but improved attendance, better educational outcomes and wider social benefits including reduced inequalities.
To mark the launch of the report, the School Food Review - which includes SFM and a host of charities, educational bodies, unions, academics, and caterers - is hosting an event in Parliament.
The event will provide MPs with evidence that shows exactly why every child, no matter where they live, should have the same opportunity to access and enjoy nutritious, delicious and sustainable school food.
Once again, our polling of teachers nationwide has revealed a postcode lottery when it comes to access to nutritious school food. Our Two Cities polling in 2024 found that schools in parts of the country have been regularly dipping into their own budgets to stop children from going hungry.
Meanwhile, London’s universal primary free school meals offer means that no child needlessly misses out on good nutrition at school. A recent evaluation of this policy found massive benefits for children’s health and learning as well as family finances.
Terri Cheung, Headteacher at Phoenix Primary School in Liverpool, said:
“You can tell when children haven’t had enough good nutrition by how lethargic they become in the classroom. Hunger makes it harder to concentrate, no matter how exciting the topic. If a child’s mind wanders during a key part of the lesson, it can affect their learning the next day, which can quickly snowball.
“Many of our families can’t afford school meals, so they provide packed lunches, which are often low in nutritional value. Meanwhile, our school cook prepares delicious, nutritious hot meals every day. Our children feel it’s unfair that children in other parts of England and across the UK can access universal free school meals while they can't.”
Teachers and schools should never have to cover the cost of feeding hungry children. Alongside our campaign partners, teachers, and the majority of the public, we urge the government to take bold action by extending free school meals - helping to fulfil its manifesto promises of “breaking down barriers to opportunity” and “creating the healthiest generation of children ever”.
