Children in Wales will begin receiving free school meals from the beginning of the new term - but which years will be offered them depends on where they live.
The policy for universal free school meals under the Labour government and Plaid Cymru agreement is aimed at addressing the cost of living crisis. It begins with reception children this month, before being rolled out to all children of primary school age by 2024.
But some councils are extending the free school meal offer to children in years one and two from this term, after the October half term, or from January. Some school canteens were shut during the pandemic restrictions and were not fully open and serving hot meals last academic year - Cardiff Council said that if any of its canteens could not offer hot food in September, cold food would be offered instead.
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WalesOnline asked all 22 local education authorities in Wales, under the Freedom of Information Act, whether their school canteens would all be open and providing hot meals for the start of term, and which children would be offered free school meals. Not all responded to all questions, but these are the replies received so far.
Anglesey
The council said: "From September 2022 children in reception and year one will automatically get free school meals. Our aim is to provide year two by April 2023, and years three to six by September 2023."
It added all primary and secondary school canteens will be open and serving hot meals for the start of term. Some 24% of primary children and 20% of secondary children are eligible for free school meals.
Blaenau Gwent
Free school meals will be offered to all reception, year one, and year two children from September . All school canteen will be open and serving hot meals.
Bridgend
Free school meals will be offered to all reception age children from September. This will be extended to children in years one and two from September 2023 and for all other primary school years from September 2024 "at the latest. Al canteens will be open and serving hot meals this term. Around 26% of children in Bridgend are eligible for free school meals.
Caerphilly
All primaries will offer all reception age and year one children a free school meal from the start of term on Friday, September 2.
This will then be extended to the following children on the following dates:
- Nursery - November 7, 2022. All registered nursery age pupils attending a maintained school for a full-time session ie attends nursery both AM and PM will be eligible for a free school meal when in attendance on those days.
- Year two - November 7, 2022.
- Year three to year six - September 2023
All primary school canteens in your LEA be open and serving hot meals for the start of term on Friday September 2.
The council said: "These dates are subject to change depending on any unforeseen circumstances that may arise.”
Some 27% of children are eligible for free school meals in this authority
Cardiff
All reception children will be offered a free school meal from September. Cardiff Council said it "hopes" to extend the scheme to children in years one and two from summer term 2023.
But the council said extensive canteen work has been needed and if some are not ready to offer hot food, cold food will be offered instead.
"Cardiff Council has planned for schools to serve hot school meals from September. For all schools to cater for a significantly greater number of pupils, some kitchens have required essential refurbishment works and additional catering equipment.
"Works have been undertaken by contractors/suppliers during the school holidays and all kitchens will be open to serve hot food. If any kitchen works are awaiting completion, a cold meal will be provided as a short-term temporary measure until the kitchen can provide hot meals.
"Reception pupils will be offered a free school meal from September. In a small number of schools, if kitchen works are awaiting completion (they will be offered) a cold meal."
Cardiff Council spokesperson added: “In Cardiff, all children in reception will be offered free school meals from September onwards. Further year groups will be provided with free school meals through a phased approach with the aim of rolling the scheme out to all primary aged children over the next three years. It is hoped that years one and two will be catered for from the summer term 2023.
“In response to the current rising cost-of-living, Cardiff Council is committed to implementing the Universal Free School Meal scheme as efficiently as possible. Our teams have been working hard to make sure that catering capacity has been increased across the city's primary schools over the summer as quickly as possible, to help reach the shared ambition of ensuring that not no child goes hungry whilst in school."
Ceredigion
From September all children in reception as well as those in years one and two, will be offered free school meals.
All primary and secondary school canteens will be open and serving hot meals for the start of term. All primaries will be able to offer all reception age children a free hot school meal from the start of term.
Some 20.2% of children aged five to 15 are eligible for free school meals.
Conwy
All children in reception, years one and two will be offered free school meals from September
Denbighshire
Universal free school meals will be offered to reception year pupils only from September. All primary and secondary school canteens will be open and serving hot meals for the start of term.
Some 28.67% of Primary and 22.92 of secondary school pupils are eligible for free school meals.
Gwynedd
Free school meals will be offered to reception and year one children from September 1.
Merthyr
All children in reception and full-time nursery will be offered free school meals from the start of term.
All primary and secondary school canteens will be open and serving hot meals for the start of term.
Some 30% of children are eligible for free school meals
Neath Port Talbot
All reception age children will be offered a free hot school meal from the start of term in September.
NPTCBC said it will be able to consider extending the offer to all year one pupils after the October half term with the aim of including year two pupils as soon as possible after that. All primary pupils will be eligible for a free school meal by 2024.
Some 26.8% of statutory school age pupils are eligible for free school meals
All primary schools will be open and serving hot meals at the start of term.
The council said it does not hold data for secondary school canteens offering hot food, but as of August 30 “there will be no primary or secondary school canteens shut at the start of term”.
Newport
From September 5, the start of term, all reception pupils plus all children in years one and two will be offered free school meals.
All primary school and secondary school canteens will be open and serving hot meals for the start of term.
The council said: “All 44 primary schools will receive the full meals service from September 2022. Some schools are receiving capital investment which will see permanent kitchen facilities provided that are not currently available.”
31% (7,188) of children eligible for free school meals
Swansea
All primaries will be able to offer all reception age children a free hot school meal from September 2022. All primary and secondary school canteens will be open and serving hot meals for the start of term.
“In Swansea we are already making good progress in preparing to meet the Welsh Government’s commitment of universal free school meals in primary schools by 2024.
“With funding from the Welsh Government, the council is investing in new equipment and staff, as well as modifications to kitchens in some schools.
“We are working hard to be in a position to extend the offer beyond reception to other primary school years once the infrastructure is in place. We will be updating parents and carers as soon as we are in a position to include more year groups.”
30% of children are eligible for free school meals.
Pembrokeshire
From September 2022 universal free school meals will be offered to all full time nursery, reception, year one and two children in Pembrokeshire.
All primary and secondary school canteens will be open and serving hot meals for the start of term. Some 21.22% of children eligible for free school meals.
Rhondda Cynon Taf
All Reception pupils will be offered free school meals from September, followed by children in year one from the start of the spring school term in January 2023, followed by all year two children from the start of the school summer term in April 2023 and years five and six in April 2024. Hot meal options will be available to all children.
Torfaen
All children in reception and years one and two will be offered free school meals from the start of term.
All primary and secondary school canteens will be open and serving hot food from the start of term.
Vale of Glamorgan
All children in reception and years one and two will be offered free school meals from the start of term.
All primary and secondary school canteens will be open and serving hot meals for the start of term.
The council said: “We will be offering reception, year one and year two a choice of hot and cold meals from September 2022.”
14.6% of children are eligible for free school meals.
Wrexham
All reception year children will be offered free school meals from the start of term. This offer will be extended to children in years one and two from April 2023 and to the rest of primary school pupils, to include all years, by September 2023.
September 2022 – All reception pupils to be offered free meals
From April 2023 – years one and two to be offered free meals
September 2023 – all primary pupils to be offered meals
All primary and secondary school canteens will be open and serving hot meals for the start of term.
23.1% of children aged five to 15 are eligible for free school meals.
Monmouthshire and Carmarthenshire councils have previously said they are also considering extending the offer to years one and two early and discussions are taking place.
Powys and Denbighshire councils said before the end of last term that they won't extend the offer early and would follow the Welsh Government timetable to add year ones and two next year.
In its document explaining the universal free school meal policy, the Welsh Government said: "All primary school children in Wales will get free school meals by 2024. This commitment is in response to the rising cost-of-living pressures on families and our shared ambitions of tackling child poverty and ensuring no child goes hungry in school.
"The Welsh Government is committed to implementing the scheme as quickly as possible. The majority of local authorities will be able to begin delivering free school meals to reception from the start of the autumn term, September 2022 and extend the offer to years one and two no later than the start of the summer term, April 2023."
The proposed timetable is:
- September 2022 - learners offered universal free school meals in reception
- April 2023 - learners offered free school meals in reception, year one and year two
- Schools that are able to deliver free school meals to learners in years one and two (in addition to reception) can do so from September.
Read next:
- The huge changes to how schools will teach in Wales next term
- Rising energy prices see food bank users asking for food that doesn't need cooking
- The three alternative school year dates suggested for Wales
- The help available for families in Wales to pay for school and college costs
- Labour unveil their cost of living plans and vow to extend windfall tax
