GRIMSBY and Cleethorpes has welcomed news that all kids between the ages of four and seven years old will get free school meals as of September.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announced the policy on Tuesday evening, which could save parents around £400 per child – based on fees of around £2 a day.
Children from the most deprived backgrounds already receive free meals although parents with a combined income of more than £16,000 a year have to pay.
It will only apply to infants – 4-7 years old – although it is hoped that it will increase school meals take-up beyond that age.
And the Government claim it could help academically after a pilot scheme showed that pupils were two months ahead of their peers when free lunches were provided.
At Middlethorpe Primary Academy, 17 per cent of students are in receipt of free dinners but around a third of all pupils eat hot meals at the school.
Head teacher Jamie Holbrook said: "This will save our parents around £400 a year but will also benefit children.
"We believe that education is about more than English and maths, it's about developing life skills.
"Our dinner supervisor's brief is to promote manners at the dinner table and children learn how to sit down and talk to each other.
"With the increasing demands the economic situation is putting on families, this could be the only opportunity some children get to do this during the day.
"We have a wide range of packed lunches but parents are facing huge pressure on their time and finances.
"Our school dinners must meet certain requirements so children are guaranteed a nutritious and balanced meal."
Pupil Declan Fenwick, 10, was eating fish fingers, mashed potatoes and beans when we interviewed him yesterday.
He said: "I usually like what they serve and if there's something I don't like, I just eat the rest.
"I get to sit and chat with my friends, which I quite like.
"At the moment I have school dinners in the winter and packed lunches in the summer because it's warmer outside.
"But I wouldn't mind if I had school dinners all the time."
Lynne Donovan is a dietician who works in primary health care.
She said: "What you see in many children's packed lunch is not always what you call a nutritious or balanced meal.
"School dinners are regulated so that what is provided is adequate for what is many children's main meal of the day.
"They will also have less additives, which could help their concentration in the afternoons.
"Children form their eating habits early so giving them healthy meals at that age is very important.
"However, they will have to monitor what is actually being eaten – school dinners are no use in the bin.
"I'm not sure if we will ever cure problems like obesity and diabetes but we can try to prevent them.
"Education in schools is key and offering healthy meals from an early age will help."
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