Schools leaders union calls for free meals support to extend to pre-school children

School leaders are urging the government to extend support to disadvantaged children in pre-school settings after research highlighted the scale of food poverty among the youngest children.

The call comes after the Education Policy Institute (EPI) reported that nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of households with children under the age of five experience food poverty, prompting renewed concerns about the impact of hunger on children’s development before they even start school.

While education leaders have welcomed the expansion of free school meals to children in households receiving Universal Credit, they argue that similar support should be available to children in early years settings.

Early intervention matters

Responding to the findings, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said children must receive support long before they begin compulsory education. He said:

“The first years of children’s lives are vital. If they are hungry and do not have access to a healthy rounded diet, this can harm their physical and social development, both at home and in pre-school settings.

“These worrying findings underline the importance of the new government further expanding its moves to help families with the cost of living, and building on the previous administration’s welcome expansion of free schools meals to all children in households in receipt of Universal Credit.

“It makes sense that this should apply to pre-school settings too, which would help ensure more children are ready to hit the ground running when they start school.

“We urge the government to look carefully at these sensible recommendations.”

NAHT argues that measures designed to tackle child poverty should not begin once children enter school, but during the crucial early years when development is at its most rapid.

Closing the gap before school starts

Research has consistently linked food insecurity in early childhood to poorer health outcomes, delayed development and barriers to learning.

School leaders say extending meal support to disadvantaged children in pre-school settings would help address these challenges before children enter Reception, improving school readiness and helping to ensure they start their education on a more equal footing.

While recent government action on free school meals has been widely welcomed, campaigners and education leaders believe a gap remains for many children who have not yet reached school age.

For NAHT, the issue goes beyond tackling hunger. It is about giving children the best possible start in life and ensuring that poverty does not become a barrier to learning before formal education has even begun.

With food poverty continuing to affect many families with young children, school leaders are now calling on ministers to build on existing support and make disadvantaged pre-school children eligible for the same nutritional assistance available to their school-age peers.

As the government continues its work on child poverty, NAHT maintains that supporting children during the earliest years of life will be critical to improving both educational outcomes and life opportunities in the years ahead.