A NATIONAL campaign for free school meals, supported by TV presenter Konnie Huq, dropped into an Ealing primary school today (12).
Former Blue Peter presenter Konnie was at Grange Primary School in South Ealing as part of the National Education Union’s No Child Left Behind initiative.
It involves a national tour of schools, concluding at the Labour Party Conference, to advocate universal free school meals.
In England, free meals are available to students between reception and year two.
Grange Primary head Jamie Maloy noted that all primary school students in London and Wales, and P1 to P5 students in Scotland currently receive free school meals.
“I would like to see our Government follow suit and put its money where its mouth is,” he said.
Mr Maloy added: “As an Ealing parent, Konnie’s children will have friends from across socio-economic divides and different cultures.
“She’ll have seen for herself the struggles that some families go through and the pressure that gets lifted off by having a free school meal.”
Konnie said: “Any parent knows a hungry child is a distracted child.
“It's great that all primary school children in London get free school meals now, but it doesn’t feel fair that children across England are missing out on the same.”
The Government has pledged to introduce free breakfast clubs in all English primary schools but has not committed to supporting free school meals.
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