Eastfield's Overdale School backs calls for free school meals for all primary-aged children
Scarborough Borough Council is wanting the new North Yorkshire Council to consider it from April
A school near Scarborough is backing calls for free school meals to be provided to ALL primary-aged children.
The Borough Council wants the new North Yorkshire authority to consider the option from April.
Vicki Logan is the headteacher of Overdale Community Primary School in Eastfield. She said: "At this moment in time when households are paying out extra for bills and things like that, we don't want them reducing their provision for their children's meals to pay for bills and things like that. Children learn such a lot and experience such a lot from having a meal alongside their peers in school.
"When a child has a free meal from being five years-old through to being almost eight and then suddenly has to go on a packed lunch because parents can't afford it. They may also have a sibling who gets a free lunch who's younger than them and their mum's providing a packed lunch for the one who doesn't. It's really upsetting.
"If a child comes in for school dinner and sits with a hot meal, a pudding, knife, fork, spoon and a cup and sits at the side of a child who has a box full of four chocolate bars, no fruit, that's not exactly a comfortable setting as that child will think 'well, why haven't I got a bar of chocolate?'
"If there isn't free school meals, then I wish they didn't cost what they do cost and they could perhaps be subsidised. Our lunch costs have increased by 50 pence a day. That's ÂŁ2.50 for one child per week. That's ÂŁ5 for two children and some of our parents have four so that's ÂŁ10 a week increase. They're already struggling.
"We want those families to have provision for a free lunch for all their children and then come home and just have a tea. We know it's a challenge for them financially and we're wanting to do the best we can in terms of providing a meal and the costings of it, so it's a very difficult and tough decision for schools.
"It does help the children to see what their peers have and to try different foods. It takes an awful lot of pressure off parents if they can just send their child to school with their reading book and PE kit and that's the end of it. Whereas when they're providing packed lunches, they're wondering what to put in this day and do they have supplies at home?"