Children who live in poverty face a particularly tough time over Christmas, a teaching union has warned.

It also fears that the festive period exacerbates a “digital divide” between poorer and more affluent pupils, which schools cannot ignore as education becomes increasingly reliant on technology.

The EIS, Scotland’s biggest teaching union, says that the loss of free school meals while schools are closed can be a “significant difficulty” for many families, while the pressure to take part in Christmas activities and to give gifts can make their sense of exclusion particularly acute.

General secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The challenge of holiday hunger is a serious and growing problem, which an increasing number of local authorities are now taking steps to try to address.”

Holiday hunger and ‘tech poverty’

Mr Flanagan, who said it was “disgraceful” that some families needed food banks to feed their children during holidays, added that Christmas “can also increase the digital divide that exists” as many pupils receive gifts such as smartphones which are “out of financial reach to many of their peers”.

He said: “It is important that we remain cognizant of this type of tech poverty, particularly when many schools are making greater use of this technology and encouraging young people to make use of their devices to support learning both at school and in the home.”

The EIS has previously produced a pack for schools providing advice for teachers on practical steps they can take to help pupils who live in poverty.

In November, a report recommended that cash should be given to Scotland’s poorest families to help them get through the school holidays.

The report by the Poverty and Inequality Commission said that direct cash transfers would provide the most “dignified” way to reduce financial pressures on families, and recommended that the amount should at least match the cost of school meals.