Headteacher welcomes free school meal announcement

A headteacher has welcomed government plans to extend the free school meals scheme to include more children.

From September 2026 all children in families receiving Universal Credit credit will be eligible regardless of their income, in a move expected to benefit more than 500,000 children.

The government said the changes to free school meals would save parents £500 a year and "lift 100,000 children out of poverty".

Joanna Baxendale, headteacher at Green Lane Primary School in Bradford, said: "Without free school meals, our children simply will not be able to access the curriculum, they won't be able to learn the maximum capacity, they wouldn't be able to reach their full potential."

She added: "Our children come from a very deprived area and a high percentage of our children access free school meals.

"We already supplement that with free breakfasts and things like that, because we recognise many of our children don't start the day with a breakfast, so they're already not ready to learn.

"We all know if you've got an empty tummy, you can't concentrate.

"As an adult you know that."

Sue Duffy, Bradford Council's executive member for children and families, said the change to the policy was a "fantastic outcome" for children and families in the district.

She also encouraged families to check if they are eligible for the scheme so as not to miss out.

"Free school meals offer multiple benefits to children's health, well-being, and education, as well as positive economic impacts for families," she said.

"A nutritious lunch can improve children's concentration, learning, and overall academic performance, while saving families around £500 per child each year."

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