The 750 primary schools taking part in the pilot scheme have been unveiled – but with funding of just 60p per-day, per-pupil for the meals, school leaders are concerned.
The Department for Education (DfE) confirmed that funding for April to July 2025 will include an initial payment of £500 for set-up costs and a lump sum of £1,099 for the summer term.
The grant guidance (see DfE, 2025a) states: “The initial set-up and lump-sum amount is paid to all schools. The lump-sum covers the fixed administration and start-up staffing costs of the scheme, the basic per-pupil amount covers the provision of the food and basic staffing costs.”
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