The Scottish government originally promised that universal free school meals would be in place for all primary pupils by August 2022. However, we now know that the promise will still not be fully realised by August 2024 - and the government continues to refuse to commit to a new delivery date.
Currently in Scotland, all pupils in the first five years of primary are entitled to a free school dinner and by August 2022 the rollout of universal free school meals was supposed to be complete, when pupils in P6 and P7 were to come on board.
However, the Scottish government failed to deliver on that, saying councils needed more time to prepare for the rollout to pupils in the two final years of primary, but that the extension to P6-7 would happen before the end of this Parliament, in 2026.
Now, however, it has become clear that even by August 2024 the majority of children in upper primary will still not be receiving a free school meal, leaving little room for manoeuvre before parliamentary elections in May 2026.
Education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has said that by August 2024, the Scottish government plans to take “the next step in fulfilling our commitment to universal provision in primary schools”. As of that date, she says, children in the final two years of primary in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment will also become entitled to free school meals.
The Scottish Child Payment is unique to Scotland and sees families on certain benefits receiving an additional £25 per week if they are the main person looking after a child under 16.
The government told Tes Scotland this means that a further 20,000 pupils in P6 and P7 will be able to claim a free school meal by August 2024.
However, even taking into account the approximately 25,000 pupils in P6-7 registered for free meals currently, it still means that by August 2024, the majority of pupils in P6 and P7 will not be receiving free meals.
Tes Scotland estimates that in the best-case scenario, around 40 per cent of upper primary pupils will be able to claim a free school meal.
John Dickie, director of Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, said the move was a significant extension but still “hugely disappointing” given the original promise was that all primary pupils would get a free meal by August 2022.
He said: “Extending free school meals to P6 and P7 in receipt of the new Scottish Child Payment will mean significantly more children becoming entitled but falls well short of the promise of universal provision.
“Given how welcome the promise to deliver free school meals to all primary pupils by August last year was, it is hugely disappointing that we still don’t have a revised date by which the Scottish government will deliver on that.
“In the meantime, more and more families are struggling to make ends meet yet continue to miss out on free school meals.”
A Scottish government spokesperson said Scotland had “the best universal provision anywhere in the UK”, with pupils in special schools also benefiting from free meals.
He added: “Our additional investment announced in the 2023-24 Budget will continue to fund the expansion of free school meals for all Primary 6 and 7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment. This will be the next step in fulfilling our commitment to universal provision in primary schools.
“We will work in partnership with local government to deliver our shared commitment.”
The government’s latest plans regarding the delivery of free school meals in primary came to light in a message from Ms Somerville to the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee, dated 20 December.
In the letter, she writes: “We are providing a further £80 million capital to support our expansion of free school meals. This will allow us to fund our expansion of free school meals for all Primary 6 and 7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, beginning from August 2024. This is the next step in fulfilling our commitment to universal provision in primary schools.”
In November, a Tes Scotland investigation revealed the government’s free school meal policy was underfunded. Nicky Joiner, East Renfrewshire’s catering coordinator, who also chairs the catering arm of council facilities management organisation Assist FM, said the £3.33 per meal the Scottish government pays was “not enough” and “does not touch the sides” of the true cost.
Tes Scotland also revealed last year that the uptake of universal free school meals in P1-5 was just 68 per cent.
