Frequently asked questions

As educators we know that a good education isn’t only about lessons. It stretches from the canteen to the classroom. Healthy meals are a vital part of school, because they help children learn and succeed. 

That’s why this is already Government policy. In 2014, the Government made school dinners free in England for children up to year two. We’re not asking for anything new.
We’re simply asking that the Government finish the job and extend Free School Meals to the remaining year groups in primary school. 

As educators we know that a good education isn’t only about lessons. It stretches from the canteen to the classroom. Healthy meals are a vital part of school, because they help children learn and succeed. 

That’s why this is already Government policy. In 2014, the Government made school dinners free in England for children up to year two. We’re not asking for anything new. We’re simply asking that the Government finish the job and extend Free School Meals to the remaining year groups in primary school.

Only 1% of packed lunches meet nutritional guidelines, and just one in five children have any vegetables or salad in their lunchbox. Research suggests that with Free School Meals, children are more likely to eat healthy food. And they’ve been shown to reduce obesity by 7%. Giving every child a nutritious hot dinner at school would support children’s health and help them learn and thrive in the classroom. 

As educators, we believe schools should be places where children can eat together, learn together and grow together. A hot dinner at school for every child would help build happier, healthier school communities. That’s good for all our children.And every family will be better off for it. The £457 saved on lunch per child will put money back in all parents’ pockets each year. It would free up families’ cash to spend on their children in other ways. We know it can be done because it’s already happening.It’s all about priorities: Scotland and Wales have pledged to provide free healthy dinners for all children in primary school, and the UK government could, and should, do the same for children in England.