One in four teachers gave food to hungry pupils in England last term, survey finds

Teachers personally provided food to pupils in the summer term because they were worried about their welfare. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

One in four teachers in England brought in food for hungry pupils out of concern for their welfare, a survey has revealed, as headteachers said it was “unsustainable” to expect schools to keep stepping in to support desperate families.

Just days before the start of the new school term, more than a third (35%) of the 9,000 teachers who took part in the poll said their school regularly provided food for children and their families, rising to almost half in the most deprived areas of England.