Issue - meetings

The Chair had been notified prior to the meeting of an item of urgent business raised in relation to the recent announcement from the Mayor of London to provide free school meals for all primary school children for one academic year from September 2023. The Forum recognised this as a positive initiative however had concerns about how this could work in practice, in the ensuing discussion the following points were raised for consideration–

·             Infrastructure would need to be significantly increased to successfully provide meals for all primary school children and as such would require significant increased capital investment to fund these changes.

·             Increased staff capacity would need to be considered.

·             There would be implications on the timings of the school day to enable staff to serve the additional lunches.

·             There could be an impact on pupil premium funding as parents/carers were less likely to make the formal application for free school meals if their children would automatically receive them.

·             The Forum required further clarity as to whether additional funding would be provided to support the delivery of the programme including the staffing and infrastructure related costs discussed and not just the meals.

·             It was queried how special schools who were not entitled to free school meal funding would be impacted.

Councillor Grahl, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Schools advised the Forum that the initiative had been announced to support families in response to the growing issues around food poverty and the cost-of-living crisis. The Forum was assured that their concerns raised in relation to the successful implementation of the programme were issues that local Councillors had raised with the Mayor for London.  As the plans had only been recently announced local authorities were expecting a more detailed finance and delivery plan shortly, once this was received the information would be shared at a future Schools Forum.

Action Point 88 –

Schools Forum to be updated on the finances and implementation plan of the universal

free school meals for pupils in London.