Free school dinner scheme to go national

Primary school children could be getting a healthy free school dinner soon, as all local authorities are being invited to bid for cash to fund them.

Currently, a pilot of free school meals has been running in Durham, Newham and Wolverhampton since September 2009.

Now there are plans to extend this scheme to other schools from September 2010, benefiting more families.

Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls said: “We know good health is vital if children are going to enjoy their childhood and achieve their full potential. Eating a nutritious meal at lunchtime from a young age can make eating well a healthy habit for life.

“Our commitment to invest a further £35 million in these additional universal free school meals pilots will mean thousands of children and their parents will feel the benefit from September.”