Taste for Oldham’s free school dinners

AN easy online checking system used by Oldham Council to stop poorer children missing out on free school meals should be used by other local authorities, the Government says.

Take up of free school meals in Oldham is increasing, and ministers believe the online “eligibility checking system” is partly the reason.

The system allows councils to tap into data held by various government departments and can spare the parents of poorer children the embarrassment of handing over financial details to their child’s school.

A low take-up also has significant consequences for school budgets, which are directly linked to the number having free dinners.

Oldham is one of the councils across the country using the system.

Last month, schools minister Lord Hill promised an autumn push to persuade all councils to sign up, saying: “We are encouraging local authorities to increase their use of this resource.

“As well as reducing bureaucracy and cost, is also encouraging more parents to sign up their children for a free school lunch.”


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