Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of universal infant free school meals on children's attainment levels.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Department for Education and the Department for Health carried out a robust pilot of universal free school meals between 2009 and 2011. The evaluation of this pilot found that take-up of school meals was significantly higher in the pilot areas compared with control areas, and there was a significant positive impact on attainment for primary school pupils, with pupils in the pilot areas making between four and eight weeks’ more progress than similar pupils in comparison areas.
Take-up of the meals is a key success measure for universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), and we monitor this on a termly basis through the schools census. We know that a balanced and nutritious meal, which includes vegetables and fruit, is good for the health and well-being of children. According to the latest figures, 1.5 million infant pupils (excluding those eligible for benefits-based free school meals) took a lunch on census day – a take-up rate of 85.9%.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of universal infant free school meals on children's health and nutrition.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Department for Education and the Department for Health carried out a robust pilot of universal free school meals between 2009 and 2011. The evaluation of this pilot found that take-up of school meals was significantly higher in the pilot areas compared with control areas, and there was a significant positive impact on attainment for primary school pupils, with pupils in the pilot areas making between four and eight weeks’ more progress than similar pupils in comparison areas.
Take-up of the meals is a key success measure for universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), and we monitor this on a termly basis through the schools census. We know that a balanced and nutritious meal, which includes vegetables and fruit, is good for the health and well-being of children. According to the latest figures, 1.5 million infant pupils (excluding those eligible for benefits-based free school meals) took a lunch on census day – a take-up rate of 85.9%.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he will undertake an assessment of the effect on children of the universal infant free school meal policy.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Department for Education and the Department for Health carried out a robust pilot of universal free school meals between 2009 and 2011. The evaluation of this pilot found that take-up of school meals was significantly higher in the pilot areas compared with control areas, and there was a significant positive impact on attainment for primary school pupils, with pupils in the pilot areas making between four and eight weeks’ more progress than similar pupils in comparison areas.
Take-up of the meals is a key success measure for universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), and we monitor this on a termly basis through the schools census. We know that a balanced and nutritious meal, which includes vegetables and fruit, is good for the health and well-being of children. According to the latest figures, 1.5 million infant pupils (excluding those eligible for benefits-based free school meals) took a lunch on census day – a take-up rate of 85.9%.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of its policy on Universal Infant Free School Meals.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Department for Education and the Department for Health carried out a robust pilot of universal free school meals between 2009 and 2011. The evaluation of this pilot found that take-up of school meals was significantly higher in the pilot areas compared with control areas, and there was a significant positive impact on attainment for primary school pupils, with pupils in the pilot areas making between four and eight weeks’ more progress than similar pupils in comparison areas.
Take-up of the meals is a key success measure for universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), and we monitor this on a termly basis through the schools census. We know that a balanced and nutritious meal, which includes vegetables and fruit, is good for the health and well-being of children. According to the latest figures, 1.5 million infant pupils (excluding those eligible for benefits-based free school meals) took a lunch on census day – a take-up rate of 85.9%.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has made an estimate of (a) how much the price of food will change over the next five years and (b) whether that change in price will have an effect on the provision of universal free school meals.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The £2.30 per meal that we provide to schools to fund universal infant free school meals is based on the School Food Trust’s survey estimate of the average cost of a primary school meal, and on discussion with stakeholders and school food experts. This is a realistic and fair basis for funding free school meals.
Decisions about school funding beyond 2020 will be taken at the next spending review.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to assess his Department's level of funding for universal infant free school meals in light of the rising cost of food.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The £2.30 per meal that we provide to schools to fund universal infant free school meals is based on the School Food Trust’s survey estimate of the average cost of a primary school meal, and on discussion with stakeholders and school food experts. This is a realistic and fair basis for funding free school meals.
Decisions about school funding beyond 2020 will be taken at the next spending review.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils have been in receipt of universal infant free school meals since its introduction.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
This information is in the public domain and for every year since 2015 the number of infant pupils who took a free school meal on census day is published (in Table 3d) in the below National tables:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2015.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2016.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2017.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to make an assessment of the effectiveness of the secondary school performance Progress 8 measure.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department has a number of feedback mechanisms regarding Progress 8 and regularly engages with the sector through conferences, meetings and correspondence.
The Department is making changes to Progress 8 in response to feedback. Following concerns about the disproportionate effect that a small number of extremely negative scores can have on a school’s average progress score, from 2018 a limit is being introduced on how negative a pupil’s progress score can be when calculating the school average for both Progress 8 and primary progress measures. Further details can be found in the secondary accountability guidance: www.gov.uk/government/
publications/progress-8-school-performance-measure.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many complaints he has received on the effectiveness of the secondary school performance Progress 8 measure; and what steps his Department is taking to address those complaints.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department has a number of feedback mechanisms regarding Progress 8 and regularly engages with the sector through conferences, meetings and correspondence.
The Department is making changes to Progress 8 in response to feedback. Following concerns about the disproportionate effect that a small number of extremely negative scores can have on a school’s average progress score, from 2018 a limit is being introduced on how negative a pupil’s progress score can be when calculating the school average for both Progress 8 and primary progress measures. Further details can be found in the secondary accountability guidance: www.gov.uk/government/
publications/progress-8-school-performance-measure.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to amend the methodology for Progress 8 to take account of its effect in schools in white working class areas with high levels of deprivation.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department recently received correspondence from the Principal of a secondary school in Wythenshawe and Sale East on the perceived local effects of Progress 8. Officials will ensure the honourable member receives a copy of the Department’s response to the Principal.
Progress 8 is designed to recognise the progress made by all pupils across the ability range, compared to pupils nationally with similar starting points. By taking prior attainment into account, it encourages schools to focus on lower attaining pupils as much as their higher attaining peers and means that schools with a challenging intake can demonstrate that their pupils are making positive progress.
The Department understands concerns that schools with challenging intakes can have lower progress scores. That is why a range of additional contextual information is available on the performance tables website, including performance for different characteristic groups, such as disadvantaged pupils. Schools should not be judged solely on their performance data. Ofsted, the Regional Schools Commissioners and local authorities take a wide range of factors into account when considering school performance more broadly, including the make-up of a school’s cohort. There are therefore no plans at present to amend the Progress 8 methodology in the way proposed by the hon. Member for Wythenshawe and Sale East.