Schools told not to provide free school meals over February half-term
Fiona Simpson
Thursday, January 14, 2021
New Department for Education guidance advises headteachers not to provide free school meals for children over February half-term.
Fresh advice released yesterday (14 January) on the provision of free school meals during the latest Covid-19 lockdown states: “Schools do not need to provide lunch parcels or vouchers during the February half-term.”
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"Support should be provided each week for benefits-related free school meal pupils at home during the national lockdown and school opening restrictions, from the week beginning 4 January to the week beginning 8 February."
“There is wider government support in place to support families and children outside of term-time through the Covid Winter Grant Scheme,” the guidance adds, however, separate guidance on the scheme does not clarify that it covers half-term breaks.
It states: “Disadvantaged children in England will be offered free healthy meals and enriching activities over the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays next year.”
However, speaking on the BBC's Question Time last night children's minister Vicky Ford confirmed meals would be provided by local authorities through the £170m scheme.
The Holiday Activities and Food programme announced by the government following a campaign, led by footballer Marcus Rashford, in a bid to provide disadvantaged children with healthy meals and free activities over all school holidays will “cover four weeks in the summer, and a week’s worth of provision in each of the Easter and Christmas holidays”.
Kevin Courtney, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “It is simply astonishing that the government has, once again, revealed its total disregard for those hardest hit by the ongoing health pandemic.
“After a year in which the stark inequalities faced by millions of children and young people has been at the forefront of the minds of the public, the ugly spectre of holiday hunger is now looming yet again.”
Labour’s shadow children and early years minister Tulip Siddiq added: “Time and time again this government has had to be shamed into providing food for hungry children over school holidays. Stopping Free School Meals support over half-term will be devastating for many families who are living on the breadline in this pandemic.
“The Prime Minister’s claim to be morally outraged at images of woefully inadequate food parcels will ring hollow for parents who are worried about whether they will be able to put food on the table for their children over half-term.”
The issue has emerged after Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Education Secretary Gavin Williamson slammed images of “meagre” food parcels shared by parents of children eligible for free school meals online.
DfE has been contacted for further comment.