Responding to a report from the National Foundation for
Educational Research (NFER), which suggests a growing number of
primary school pupils are showing up to class hungry, Pepe
Di'Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and
College Leaders, said:
“It's deeply troubling that significant numbers of young children
are arriving at school without the basic necessities anybody
would require to be in a fit state to learn. The fact that so
many teachers are spending their own money on supporting pupils'
pastoral needs is particularly revealing. It perfectly
encapsulates an education workforce going above and beyond
despite the increasing number of societal problems they are being
forced to deal with, seemingly on their own.
“We fully support the recommendations made in this report. ASCL
and many other organisations have long been calling for the
eligibility criteria for free school meals to be widened, and
it's baffling as to why this simple step has not already been
taken. There also needs to be targeted support for schools that
reflects the varying levels of disadvantage in different
communities. We would also like to see the introduction of a
mechanism whereby funding for children eligible for free school
meals is automatically provided to schools, rather than the
current convoluted process which puts many parents off accessing
this support.
“Above all, whoever forms the next government simply must get a
grip on the scourge of child poverty. Politicians cannot just sit
back and rely on the goodwill and finances of teachers and school
leaders to stop children from going hungry.”
