School promises pupils free meals

The school is scrapping means testing and giving all pupils free meals

A primary school is offering free school meals to all its pupils, without means testing, in a bid to help pupils becoming healthier and more sociable.

Temple Grove Hatcham in south London will provide free meals for all, with pupils and staff eating together.

"We believe in the importance of having a good meal to help sustain everyone throughout the day," says chief executive officer Elizabeth Sidwell.

This term has seen tougher nutritional standards in school meals in England.

The primary school in New Cross is part of a federation with Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College - opening this term and replacing what was formerly Monson primary school.

Communal meal

As part of this re-launch there will be meals without charge for all pupils - in a school in which more than 60% of pupils qualify for free school meals.

As well as the health benefits of providing a hot meal, Dr Sidwell, who is in charge of the federation, says that eating together will help to improve social skills and "build relationships" across the school.

"We have our own chefs in every school with a federation catering manager overseeing.

"Our food is locally sourced produce and is designed to be appealing to the students," said Dr Sidwell.

The newly-opened primary school will become a feeder school for Haberdashers' Aske's, one of the most over-subscribed secondary schools in London, as part of the drive for more "all through" schools, linking primary and secondary sectors.

The push for healthier school meals has begun to show dividends in primary schools, where figures this summer showed the take-up has risen to 44%.

The idea of free school meals has been tested in Hull, where a pilot project began to investigate the benefits of all pupils receiving a free meal.