Primary school children in Bradford can look forward to free healthy school lunches from September as Ed Balls today announced an extension of free school meal pilots.
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls congratulated local authorities who will pilot universal free school meals for primary age children. Bradford, Islington and Nottingham are piloting across the whole local authority with Cumbria and Medway targeting the universal offer to specific areas of the local authority.
The new pilots join three earlier ones in Durham, Newham and Wolverhampton. Durham and Newham are also testing universal free school meals for all primary age children and Wolverhampton are testing extended eligibility for free school meals.
These eight pilots will investigate whether free school meals:
· reduce obesity;
· change eating habits at home;
· impact on behaviour and academic performance at school;
· improve school standards; and
· improve general health and well being.
The new pilots will start in September 2010 and last for one academic year. The three earlier pilots started in September 2009 and will last for two years.
