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| Fall in proportion of pupils getting free school meals | Fall in proportion of pupils getting free school meals |
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| The proportion of children in England getting free school meals has fallen to its lowest level for 15 years, according to data from this year’s school census that also shows another big rise in pupil numbers. | The proportion of children in England getting free school meals has fallen to its lowest level for 15 years, according to data from this year’s school census that also shows another big rise in pupil numbers. |
| 14.5% of pupils at state primaries receive free school meals (FSM) – compared with 15.6% a year ago and 18% in 2012 – the lowest level since records were first collected in 2001. | 14.5% of pupils at state primaries receive free school meals (FSM) – compared with 15.6% a year ago and 18% in 2012 – the lowest level since records were first collected in 2001. |
| The national rate of pupils receiving FSM at all schools fell from 15.2% to 14.3% this year, with the proportion of pupils at secondary schools dipping to 13.2%. | The national rate of pupils receiving FSM at all schools fell from 15.2% to 14.3% this year, with the proportion of pupils at secondary schools dipping to 13.2%. |
| The figures published by the Department for Education (DfE) exclude pupils receiving lunches through the universal infant free school meal programme, counting only those eligible based on household income or benefits. | The figures published by the Department for Education (DfE) exclude pupils receiving lunches through the universal infant free school meal programme, counting only those eligible based on household income or benefits. |
| The DfE said the FSM decline was occurring “in a large number of areas across the country and is related to there being fewer parents than previously claiming the benefits which would make their children eligible for free school meals”. | The DfE said the FSM decline was occurring “in a large number of areas across the country and is related to there being fewer parents than previously claiming the benefits which would make their children eligible for free school meals”. |
| But the figures also showed a fall-off in the proportion of eligible families claiming free school meals, which some blame on the universal infant FSM provision introduced in 2014 removing the incentive for parents to sign up for FSM. | But the figures also showed a fall-off in the proportion of eligible families claiming free school meals, which some blame on the universal infant FSM provision introduced in 2014 removing the incentive for parents to sign up for FSM. |
| Jo Nicholas, head of research for the Children’s Food Trust, said the proportion of eligible pupils who received free lunches had dropped from nearly 87% to 83% in the course of a year. | Jo Nicholas, head of research for the Children’s Food Trust, said the proportion of eligible pupils who received free lunches had dropped from nearly 87% to 83% in the course of a year. |
| “This is a real worry and in the coming months we want to look into the reasons for this – we don’t want any child living in poverty to miss out on a nutritious meal at school,” Nicholas said. | “This is a real worry and in the coming months we want to look into the reasons for this – we don’t want any child living in poverty to miss out on a nutritious meal at school,” Nicholas said. |
| A spokesperson for the DfE said: “We want all disadvantaged children to have access to the free nutritious daily meal to which they are entitled. As the economy improves and more parents find work, this leads to a decrease in the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals.” | |
| Related: Number of UK children living in poverty jumps by 200,000 in a year | Related: Number of UK children living in poverty jumps by 200,000 in a year |
| The national census, carried out at all schools in England earlier this year, revealed an increase of 105,000 pupils at state primaries compared with 2015. The total attending primaries now stands at more than 4,600,000 after seven successive years of increases, up by more than 500,000 since 2010. | The national census, carried out at all schools in England earlier this year, revealed an increase of 105,000 pupils at state primaries compared with 2015. The total attending primaries now stands at more than 4,600,000 after seven successive years of increases, up by more than 500,000 since 2010. |
| The rapid increase has seen the average primary school expand by 30 pupils since 2011, the equivalent of each primary adding an entire class. | The rapid increase has seen the average primary school expand by 30 pupils since 2011, the equivalent of each primary adding an entire class. |
| But the rapid rise hasn’t resulted in more crowded classrooms: the figures show that the average infant class size is unchanged, and fewer infants are being taught in classes larger than 30 than a year earlier. | But the rapid rise hasn’t resulted in more crowded classrooms: the figures show that the average infant class size is unchanged, and fewer infants are being taught in classes larger than 30 than a year earlier. |
| Secondary school numbers rose more slowly, with the number of state school pupils still 17,000 below the level seen in 2013. Including all types of state and private schools, 8,560,000 pupils are studying in schools in England. | Secondary school numbers rose more slowly, with the number of state school pupils still 17,000 below the level seen in 2013. Including all types of state and private schools, 8,560,000 pupils are studying in schools in England. |
| While all major ethnic groups saw annual increases in pupil numbers, the fastest were among non-British white pupils, up by 11%, and ethnic Chinese pupils, up by 6%. | While all major ethnic groups saw annual increases in pupil numbers, the fastest were among non-British white pupils, up by 11%, and ethnic Chinese pupils, up by 6%. |
| White British pupils now make up 68% of state school pupils in England, with the largest single ethnic minority being south-east Asians, who make up more than 10% of all pupils. | White British pupils now make up 68% of state school pupils in England, with the largest single ethnic minority being south-east Asians, who make up more than 10% of all pupils. |
| The number of pupils from households where English may be a second language also continued to rise. In 2016, one in five primary-age pupils came from households where English is an additional language. But the DfE carefully noted that the statistics were “not a good proxy for recent immigration”. | The number of pupils from households where English may be a second language also continued to rise. In 2016, one in five primary-age pupils came from households where English is an additional language. But the DfE carefully noted that the statistics were “not a good proxy for recent immigration”. |
| The DfE statisticians also noted that the increase in pupil numbers “is largely driven by an increase in birth rate, rather than direct current immigration”. | The DfE statisticians also noted that the increase in pupil numbers “is largely driven by an increase in birth rate, rather than direct current immigration”. |
| The number of children born to non-UK born women more than doubled between 1999 and 2010, the years in which most children currently in schools were born, the DfE said. | The number of children born to non-UK born women more than doubled between 1999 and 2010, the years in which most children currently in schools were born, the DfE said. |