The vast majority of reception and year one pupils in Southwark are benefiting from the council's pioneering free health healthy school meals programme, it was revealed today.
Some 90 per cent of these pupils are tucking into healthy lunches following the scheme’s roll out in September.
The introduction of the scheme could not be timed better, particularly when Southwark’s obesity rate for reception year children currently stands at 13.8 per cent and 26.5 per cent of year six pupils.
It is also expected to save a typical family with two children at primary school £700 a year.
Catherine McDonald, cabinet member for children’s services said: “I’m delighted to know that our primary schools are embracing the free healthy school meals scheme and I look forward to the time when all the year groups receive this benefit.
“Southwark is making every effort to tackle childhood obesity and offering a healthy and nutritious lunchtime meal is an important step in promoting good health.”
Southwark has high levels of deprivation as an estimated 34 per cent of children are living in poverty and in some wards this figure increases to over 50 percent.
The FHSM programme is playing a vital role in tackling poverty, as many families are not eligible for government funded free school meals and school meals represent a significant living cost.
Commenting on the scheme, one parent said: “When my wife and I were both working it was not such a problem to find the money for school meals but I lost my job six months ago and was not entitled to benefit so this has been a godsend for us.”
Another parent said: “I was paying £16 per week for school dinners for my children so this is a big saving for me.”
During the development phase of the FHSM programme which ran from January to July 2011, ten primary schools were invited to arrange focus groups meetings for parents and carers of children in reception and year one. These group meetings gave children’s services staff an opportunity to hear the views and opinions of parents, carers and children who were receiving a free healthy school meal for the first time.
Following the success of the September rollout, Southwark aims to maximise opportunities to promote the FHSM programme and provide lunchtime meals to year group pupils from reception to year six by September 2013.
