Save the School Lunch Grant

10th August 2010, 8:51am

The good news for school meal providers at the LACA Conference is that uptake is on the rise; the bad news is that this trend will be put at risk if the School Lunch Grant is not renewed. David Foad reports.

After a rocky few years of reporting school meal uptake in decline, the latest figures have brought some cheer to the school catering industry.

In primary and special schools uptake rose 2.1% from 39.3% in 2008/09 to 41.4% in the 2009/10 reporting period.

In secondary schools, academies and city technology colleges the rise was 0.8% from 35% to 35.8% over the same period.

That means an extra 320,980 pupils took school lunch last year.

Judy Hargadon of the School Food Trust (SFT) was delighted: "This is the highest increase in 10 years; it's fabulous news."

Outgoing chair of the Local Authority Caterers' Association (LACA) Beverley Baker was more qualified in her reaction: "I think we can take some heart from these figures."

The fifth Annual Survey of Take Up of School Lunches in England 2009- 2010 was jointly produced by LACA and the SFT.

Added Hargadon: "The figures are a testimony to caterers and all support staff, but it is important that we now build on it.

"You could say we've picked off the low-hanging fruit on this and we now need to work hard to make the tougher gains."

Baker linked the encouraging survey to the uncertainty school caterers still have about whether the school lunch grant will be maintained after the existing arrangement ends in 2011.

She appealed to the new Government and to Health Minister Andrew Lansley, in particular, to retain the grant and existing support for school meals so the good work of recent years is not undone.

"From the latest survey we know you are wrong to say fewer children are eating; the tide is slowly starting to turn.

"With one in four adults currently obese and 2.5 million children estimated to be overweight or obese by 2014 you can not afford not to hear this message.

"With attainment proven to benefit from children eating healthily, the educational attainment of our future generation, the health of the nation and the cost to the health service, it should be obvious that accessibility to an affordable school meal for every child will deliver benefits which far outweigh the costs."

Related Articles:

• 07 Apr 2011 - LACA urges caution on school lunch grant
• 28 Jan 2011 - Plans to give school caterers flexibility in promoting healthy meals are welcomed
• 01 Sep 2010 - Eden Foodservice entices Truro pupils to eat at school with new healthier menu
• 10 Aug 2010 - Prices of school meals rise in North Yorkshire
• 10 Aug 2010 - Signing up to school lunches could save parents between 50-190 hours a year