Healthy menus mean nothing if children are too hungry to learn

NASUWT - The Teachers' Union is today warning that moves to make school meals healthier, while welcome, will not address the scale of hunger faced by many pupils across the country.

Under Government proposals, deep-fried foods will be removed from school menus and items such as pizza slices and sausage rolls will be restricted in a bid to improve children's health.

While the Union welcomes efforts to improve nutritional standards, the measures don't do anything to help the number of children arriving at school hungry.

NASUWT General Secretary Matt Wrack said:

"Teachers see the reality of children who are hungry every morning. Encouraging healthier menus is of course welcome, but they will not help the pupils who come to school hungry and who don't have a proper meal at home.

"The Government's announcement acknowledges the challenges around children's health and ensuring they can make healthy meal choices.

"But it fails to confront what NASUWT teachers tell us, that poverty and hunger are keeping children out of school, damaging their wellbeing and undermining their ability to learn. Cost pressures are already forcing schools to make difficult choices and bodies representing school catering have said meeting existing standards is challenging because funding has not kept pace with inflation.

"We believe that without proper funding these new standards risk not being implemented in many schools.

"If ministers are serious about improving children's health, attendance and attainment, they must go further. Universal Free School Meals would ensure that every child receives at least one nutritious meal a day, reduce stigma, and give families a measure of security at a time when too many are struggling."