Massive rise in Brent free school meal demand during Covid

Barham Primary School, in Danethorpe Road saw the number of qualifying pupils jump from 33 to 76 in 2020/21 compared to the previous school year, according to figures from the Department for Education (DfE).

Across Brent there has been a sharp rise in the number of children receiving a free school meals, a key sign of the financial hardship that has arisen out of the pandemic.

More than half the pupils at Woodfield School in Glenwood Avenue, Kingsbury, are now eligible for FSM.

Brent has seen the highest percentage rise in the number of children who are eligible in London, and is 17th out of 155 local authorities nationally.

While the percentage of pupils on free school meals was already increasing prior to Covid, between 2019/20 and 2020/21 numbers jumped from 6,520 to 8,221 in Brent, a rise of 26pc.

Footballer Marcus Rashford (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Last summer, the government was forced into a U-turn, after a high-profile campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford for free school meal vouchers to be available for six weeks during the holidays.

The DfE said pupil premium funding is increasing to more than £2.5 billion this year, and overall school funding has increased to £14 billion over three years – which "is the biggest uplift in a decade".

A DfE spokesperson said: “There are currently around 1.7 million pupils benefiting from a nutritious free school meal through our eligibility criteria.

"We are also continuing to support pupils in disadvantaged areas through our breakfast clubs programme, which we are extending over the next two years.

“Outside of term-time, our expanded Holiday Activities and Food programme is providing thousands of disadvantaged children healthy food and enriching activities in every local authority in England.”