Thousands of Hampshire children will go hungry this half term after free schools meals decision, headteachers say

HEADTEACHERS and education leaders have warned the decision not to extend holiday free school meals vouchers will result in thousands of children going hungry this half-term.
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Since the onset of the pandemic, the government had increased its free school meals (FSM) for vulnerable children by extending the £15 per week food vouchers to cover holiday periods.

However this week MPs, the vast majority from the Conservative government, voted down Labour’s motion to continue to offer free school meals to disadvantaged families across holiday periods up to and including Easter 2021. The proposal was defeated by 322 votes to 261.

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Headteacher at Park Community School in Havant, Chris Anders, said: ‘It was a disappointing outcome. Some families will no doubt struggle more to feed their children than they would with the vouchers.’

Park Community School headteacher, Chris Anders, is 'disappointed' the government has not extended its free school meal provision.
  
Picture: Chris MoorhousePark Community School headteacher, Chris Anders, is 'disappointed' the government has not extended its free school meal provision.
  
Picture: Chris Moorhouse
Park Community School headteacher, Chris Anders, is 'disappointed' the government has not extended its free school meal provision. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

Since the start of the pandemic Mr Anders had already seen a large increase in the number of pupils eligible for free school meals as the financial impact of the Covid crisis started to bite – a situation set to be exacerbated further as the Furlough Scheme comes to an end this month.

He added: ‘We now have 390 of our children entitled to free school meals. This is 43 per cent of our school population and 20 per cent up since the start of the pandemic.’

In the absence of food vouchers Mr Anders said the school will be upping its production of pre-prepared frozen meals which families can collect from freezers in the Dickinson Centre. School chef, Steve Cross has also produced tutorial videos to support families cooking on a budget.

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Conservative councillor Terry Norton has defended the decision not to extend free school meal provision.

Picture: Malcolm WellsConservative councillor Terry Norton has defended the decision not to extend free school meal provision.

Picture: Malcolm Wells
Conservative councillor Terry Norton has defended the decision not to extend free school meal provision. Picture: Malcolm Wells
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Fellow Hampshire headteacher at the Cowplain School, Ian Gates, has also been left angered by the government’s decision.

Mr Gates said: ‘It’s extremely disappointing the government cannot find a relatively small amount of money to support the most vulnerable children in our society. Schools are quite rightly held accountable for the academic progress of these children, yet it appears the government will not support us and them by ensuring their fundamental need to be fed.

‘Schools will undoubtedly do what we normally do and provide support for these families without the support of government, which seems to be increasingly the case.’

Headteacher at Milton Park Primary School in Southsea, Wendy Fowler, which has 30 percent of children eligible for free school meals, feels it’s a dereliction of duty not to extend the scheme and stressed the potential harmful impact on children's education.

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Food is a fundamental need for children’s learning as without sufficient energy it’s difficult for children to concentrate and process things properly and can also lead to behavioural problems,’ said Mrs Fowler.

‘It’s the government’s duty to ensure children are in the best place possible for learning and if this means feeding them over holiday periods then this is what they should do.’

The decision has also been slammed by the country’s largest teaching union.

Portsmouth teacher and National Education Union (NEU) president, Amanda Martin, said: ‘The fact this motion was lost shows how little care or understanding many MPs have of poverty and its impact on children and young people. Denying the 1.4 million children eligible for FSM over the holiday period will result in unnecessary suffering and misery.

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‘This isn’t right. No child should return to school after the half term break too hungry to learn. The NEU will not stand by as poverty limits the life chances of children and young people.’

The impacts of the pandemic are already be felt in the region’s food banks with the need set to heighten even further following this decision.

Waterlooville Food Bank volunteer manager, Deborah Dark, said: ‘There’s an exceptional amount of need from local families at this time. Pre-Covid we had around 20 families needing support each week and this has now doubled to 40. With the Furlough Scheme set to end and more people being made redundant this is only going to increase.’

The need for increased support is particularly pertinent to Portsmouth with 7,047 families eligible for FSM - around 25 per cent of the school population - a 1,000 increase since the start of the pandemic.

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The city’s cabinet member for education, Cllr Suzy Horton, has pledged to ensure funds are diverted to ensure children don’t go hungry during future holiday periods.

Cllr Horton said: ‘I’m totally shocked this government voted so convincingly against a humanitarian plea to extend free school meals for the next week.

‘I’ve no idea what goes through the mind of someone who votes to not protect the most innocent and vulnerable members of our society but fail to see how it could not be considered a priority.’

However the decision has been defended by the council’s shadow cabinet member for education, Terry Norton, who believes parents need to take greater responsibility to utilise additional Universal Credit funding to cover the cost of holiday meals.

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Cllr Norton said: ‘Food vouchers are not a long-term solution, instead we should be encouraging parents to take greater responsibility. The government has raised Universal Credit by £20 a week, adjusted housing benefit to help people with their rent and given £63m to councils to help with hardship funding.

‘These additional funds cannot last forever and moves must be made to decrease dependency on the state.

‘The most vulnerable families in Portsmouth, and those children who are likely to be affected the most are supported by social services.’

The decision was also defended by Portsmouth North Conservative MP Penny Mordaunt who highlighted the £380m already invested on FSM vouchers and other support streams such as increased Universal Credit. The MP also pledged to consult with headteachers and ‘other partners’ to support a suitable system for the city’s families.

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Ms Mordaunt said: ‘Everyone wants to ensure every child in this city has good healthy food. To do that we must ensure whatever funding we have is put to best use.

‘The government’s current policy is to give funds directly to families in addition to the other support provided through schools. If we want to change that, the Spending Review is the opportunity and I will be making the case for what will work in Portsmouth based on solid evidence.’

Ms Mordaunt also highlighted that pre Covid the provision of free school meals was only ever intended for term time. However, headteachers such as Chris Anders believes the issue of holiday hunger should ‘not just limited to the next six months’ and should stimulate ‘a longer-term debate around children and hunger’.

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