Schools told NOT to provide free school meals vouchers during February half term
A FRESH row broke out today over free school meals as it emerged schools have been told NOT to provide meal vouchers to families during the February half-term.
Fresh advice from the Department of Education said that schools do not need to dole out the vouchers to kids - and parents will have to apply to a different scheme instead.
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The guidance says: "Schools do not need to provide lunch parcels or vouchers during the February half-term.
"There is wider government support in place to support families and children outside of term time through the Covid Winter Grant Scheme.”
Families will need to go to their local council to access free school meals through the Government's Covid Winter Grant scheme, worth £170million.
At least 80 per cent of the cash was earmarked to give support with food and essential utility costs until the end of March.
But there is no guarantee it will meet the £15 per head voucher as is the case in term time.
Kids were provided with free school meal vouchers over the Easter and Summer holidays last year to cope with the Covid crisis.
But then a massive row exploded over October half term, with a slew of councils across the country agreeing to fund kids' food over the holidays out of their own budgets.
Footballer Marcus Rashford, who has become the figure head of the free school meal campaign, forced the Government to provide the extra cash for children at risk of going hungry over Christmas.
A Government spokesperson said: “As was the case over Christmas, vulnerable families will continue to receive meals and other essentials over February half term via councils through the £170 million Covid Winter Grant Scheme launched last year.
"Our guidance is clear: schools provide free school meals for eligible pupils during term time. Beyond that, there is wider government support in place to support families and children via the billions of pounds in welfare support we've made available."
It comes only a day after Boris Johnson branded food boxes packed with little more than potatoes, cans of beans, a loaf of bread and a block of cheese "a disgrace".
The PM said the packages were an “insult to the families that have received them” and vowed to correct the problem.
And Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told MPs he was "disgusted" by the images of food packages, with as little as £5 worth of food in some.
Guidance from the DfE now tells schools they will be able to claim for a voucher retrospectively if food parcels do not meet the standard expected.
It says: “Further details on how and when additional costs can be reclaimed will be provided shortly. Valid claims for costs will be met in full.
“Support should be provided each week for benefits-related free school meal pupils at home during the national lockdown and school opening restrictions, from the week beginning 4 January to the week beginning 8 February.”
Union leaders have lashed out at the new guidance.
Joint general secretary of the National Education Union Kevin Courtney told The Times: “It is simply astonishing that the government has, once again, revealed its total disregard for those hardest hit by the ongoing pandemic.
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“After a year in which the stark inequalities faced by millions of children and young people has been at the forefront of the minds of the public, the ugly spectre of holiday hunger is now looming yet again."
Mr Courtney said the PM's anger over the food parcels was "put in the shade" but the new guidance, storming: "These are battles which should not have to be repeatedly fought.”
