York primary school pilots free lunches for all

The pilot project will run at Westfield Primary School until December

A York primary school is offering free school meals to all its year groups as part of a pilot project to help families in the cost-of-living crisis.

The city's Westfield Primary School is trialling the project from January to December this year.

Pupils in reception, Year 1 and Year 2 who attend state-funded schools in England already receive free lunches, but this scheme includes Years 3-6.

City of York Council will fund the meals at a cost to them of £100,000.

It said it was part of the authority's long-term commitment to becoming an anti-poverty city within the next 10 years.

Researchers at the University of York will be analysing the project, which was agreed at a council meeting in November.

Head teacher Lamara Taylor said it would also benefit busy working families

The council said if additional funding was found through the York Community Fund, the pilot would also provide breakfast to children in Key Stage 2 at Burton Green Primary School, also from January to December.

Councillor Bob Webb, executive member for Children, Young People and Education, said: "To qualify for the government's free school meals scheme, your family has to be earning £7,400 or less, and we have a huge number of families in this city who are just over that threshold who get no support.

"So we are doing this to try and tackle the cost-of-living crisis in whatever way we can."

Lamara Taylor, head teacher of Westfield Primary School, said about 300 children were able to benefit.

"There is lots of deprivation across York," she said.

"We tend to see that children have the universal free school meals up to the end of Year two, they then go into Year three and the take-up falls off because of the cost.

"It's really interesting because I think there has often been a stigma attached to the words 'free school meal'.

"Part of our challenge is getting people to realise that if it's a universal offer, don't be embarrassed that you might not be paying for something, everyone's circumstances are different.

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Asked about her school dinners, nine-year-old pupil Elliot said they "get you through the day when you're learning".

"It gets your brain going," she said. "It gives you lots of energy ready to learn, and makes you more confident."

Amelia, eight, said: "When you eat vegetables and fruit, they can give you energy and they are healthy. So if you are doing PE, you will have lots of energy and you can run around and have fun."

Olly, 11, added: "I like having lunch here because it has all the nutrients which makes you ready to learn.

"Once you have got all the nutrients in your body, it makes you able to concentrate better because you feel fuller."

Pupil Amelia said school meals give you energy for lessons