The bank holiday this Monday has underlined the importance of providing pupils with free school meals during holidays, school and college leaders have said.
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has acknowledged that it is too late to offer free school meals this Monday, the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
However, the ASCL’s general secretary, Geoff Barton, said that the new bank holiday highlights the fact that there is ‘a compelling wider argument for free school meal provision to be extended to all holiday periods’.
‘Monday’s bank holiday for the Queen’s funeral follows the same format as every other bank holiday so there is no provision for free school meals and it would probably be unfeasible to set up a voucher scheme in the time available,’ he said.
‘There is, however, a compelling wider argument for free school meal provision to be extended to all holiday periods and we would encourage the government to actively consider this matter, particularly in light of the cost-of-living crisis.’
Mr Barton continued: ‘Also like every bank holiday, schools and colleges are not required to provide on-site provision for vulnerable and key worker children. This requirement was only introduced during the special circumstances of the pandemic because of the extended periods of lockdown.
‘If there are concerns about the vulnerability of particular children there will already be safeguarding plans in place working with local social services where this is necessary.’
