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    17

    Jan 2022

    Last Updated: 14/01/2022
    Education
    Education

    Pandemic sees increase in number of Harrogate district free school meals

    by Thomas Barrett

    | 17 Jan, 2022
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    A total of 1,143 children in the Harrogate district were eligible for free school meals in October 2021, compared with 796 in January 2020. This equates to almost 1 in 10 children in the district.

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    An extra 350 children in Harrogate district secondary schools have become eligible for free school meals since the coronavirus pandemic began, figures reveal.

    A total of 1,143 children were eligible in October 2021, compared with 796 in January 2020.

    This means almost 1 in 10 children in the district are now eligible for free school meals. The national average is around 2 in 10.

    The Stray Ferret obtained the figures from a freedom of information request to North Yorkshire County Council, the education authority for the district.

    To qualify for free school meals a parent must apply to the council with evidence that they are receiving a benefit, such as child tax credit, income support or universal credit.

    The issue of free school meals was highlighted following a campaign by Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford.




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    Speaking at last week's Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee, Helen Ingle, health improvement manager at NYCC, said the council was trying to encourage parents of key stage 1 age children to take up free school meals.

    If a child is in reception, year one or year two they are automatically entitled to a free school meal.

    Ms Ingle also said schools in the district had reported an increase in obesity since the pandemic began.

    She said:

    "[Covid] has had a massive impact on levels of overweight and obesity, we're doing a lot of work around that. Schools are very concerned about healthy eating levels in schools and have noticed a change in children's weight and eatings habits since covid."