Fears Sussex children turning up for school, hungry
A new report found teachers are spending £100pa on food for pupils
Nearly one in three primary school teachers say more pupils are showing up to class hungry, a survey suggests.
Around 40% of primary school teachers said the number of pupils coming into school without adequate clothing, such as proper uniform or a winter coat, had increased, according to a National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) report.
The report found that 79% of primary school teachers and 62% of secondary school teachers reported spending their own money buying items for their pupils or school.
Nearly one in five (19%) primary school teachers and 17% of secondary school teachers said they were spending their money on meeting pupils' pastoral needs, such as providing food or clothes.
Around one in four teachers have already spent at least £100 of their own money on their pupils or school this academic year, according to the report.
The online survey, of 884 teachers and 398 senior leaders in mainstream state primary and secondary schools in England in March, suggests 31% of primary school teachers said the proportion of children regularly coming into school hungry has increased this year.
Jude Hillary, the NFER's co-head of UK policy and practice, said: "This report clearly highlights the high level of need among young people, and the risk of it becoming an entrenched and persistent challenge for pupils, families and staff, particularly in more disadvantaged schools.
"The cost of living is one of a number of significant cost pressures leading to schools having to make incredibly difficult trade-offs in their core provision - including staffing, teaching and learning.
"Teachers are going above and beyond to meet pupils' pastoral needs using their personal funds.
"This unrecognised, informal support is being offered at a time when teachers individually continue to face their own financial pressures."
The report also suggests that many primary schools are cutting spending on targeted learning support and resources to plug holes in budgets.