The “vast majority” of children in primary school years three and four will receive free school meals from next term, the Welsh Government has pledged. Councils able to give more pupils free meals ahead of the timetable have been funded to do so.
However, although it said most years three and four would get free school meals from September, the Welsh Government said it could not confirm which councils would be making the offer, and which not.
“The next phase of the expansion to provide free school meals to all pupils in primary school will begin in September 2023, with the offer growing to include the majority of learners in years three and four. The programme will then expand further in April 2024, reaching years five and six. Where local authorities are able to reach these year groups ahead of these milestones they have been funded to do so,” Cardiff Bay said in a statement.
Read next: Local firm funds free breakfasts at a high school in one of Wales' wealthiest areas because pupils were turning up hungry
£70 million of funding will support the next stage in the expansion of free school meals, Education Minister Jeremy Miles said. The introduction of universal free school meals for primary school pupils is part of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.
Asked which councils would offer free school meals to all year three and four pupils from September, and which would be later, a Welsh government spokesperson said: “All local authority areas are on track to deliver this commitment within the lifetime of the Co-operation Agreement. Everyone involved is united and working together to deliver this transformational policy as quickly as possible.
"We won’t be naming or shaming schools or areas who are not quite there yet, and local authorities and schools will keep parents/carers up to date with their individual school rollout. Tremendous progress has been made in a short space of time. Already, 80,000 extra pupils are newly eligible for a free school meals.”
All primary school children and more than 6,000 nursery-age pupils attending a maintained school will be eligible for free school meals by 2024. To date nearly five million additional free meals have been served across Wales since September 2022.
The Welsh Government has committed £260m to implement the programme over three years. This included £60m of capital funding for local authorities invested over the last two years to make improvements to school kitchens, such as buying purchasing equipment and updating technology.
The Minister added: “We are working at pace to ensure that every primary school child benefits from a nutritional school meal and that no child goes hungry.
“We know how difficult it is currently for families during the cost of living crisis. Universal free school meals provide significant financial help to families, while providing a nutritional meal to help children concentrate on learning.
“I would like to thank local authority teams across Wales who are working hard to rollout universal free school meals quickly.”
Plaid Cymru’s Designated Member, Siân Gwenllian, said “We have delivered millions of free school meals since the start of the rollout of this life changing programme and one that is needed now more than ever. I am delighted we can announce further details of the expansion of universal free school meals in all primary schools in Wales by 2024, showing how co-operative working is making a real difference to people’s lives. We are making sure no child goes hungry, while also providing help for families during this cost-of-living crisis. I want to thank our local authorities and schools helping us achieve this.”
To get our free daily briefing on the biggest issues affecting the nation, Wales Matters, click here
Read next:
- The amount spent on each child's education in Wales has barely risen in more than a decade
- Too many young people leave school in Wales without being 'functionally literate', inspectors warn
- Wales' education minister admits schools face 'very real pressures' as teachers face redundancy
- Schools face 'considerable deficits' and children’s education will suffer, warns headteacher
- £5,000 lump sum payment offered to attract new Welsh language teachers in Wales
