Moray Council agrees changed timing of free school meal allowance

Today’s meeting of the council’s Education, Children’s and Leisure Services Committee gave the go ahead to the daily credit being applied earlier in the school day to pupils’ Young Scot national entitlement cards.

This will enable them to choose to use their £2.40 allowance to buy food during morning break as well as at lunchtime.

Approval for the timing change followed a petition to the council by a Buckie High School pupil on behalf of young people in Moray. The petition highlighted concerns that pupils entitled to free school meals could be going hungry until lunch as they were unable to access their allowance until after break time.

All Moray secondary schools run either a breakfast club or brunch club offering pupils a variety of choices on arrival in the morning. The food available at both break and lunchtime is varied with items such as fruit, pasta pots, soup, muffins, pancakes, pizza and paninis as well as traditional main meals. All food and drink served in Moray schools meets national food regulations and nutritional standards.

Committee chair, Councillor Kathleen Robertson, said: “The impact of the cost of living crisis on families has led to increased concerns for the potential of young people going hungry during the school day.

“Breakfast clubs and free school meals are an important way to support the wellbeing and educational attainment of our young people. We and our partners continue to encourage greater uptake of free school meals by ensuring those who are eligible are aware of their entitlement.”

All P1-P5 children are eligible for free school meals. Parents and carers of older children can check their eligibility on the Moray Council website here.