A quarter of England's state school pupils are now reliant on free school meals, a stark indicator of rising poverty that has reached crisis point. Official data reveals that 2.1 million children qualify for this support, a record number and a significant jump from one in seven pupils in 2015.
The Department for Education's (DfE) latest census shows 24.6% of state school pupils are now eligible for free school meals – up from 23.8% last year. Eligibility is based on families receiving benefits such as Universal Credit or having an after-tax income below £7,400. The General Secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), Daniel Kebede, described these figures as "chilling", highlighting the challenge schools face in addressing child poverty.
Campaigners for child poverty warn that official statistics do not capture the full extent of need. The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) estimates an additional 900,000 children live in poverty but are not eligible for free school meals due to government restrictions, suggesting a significant gap between official figures and reality.
Beyond free school meals, other areas of concern have emerged from the DfE data. The number of young carers has risen to 54,000, including 21,000 primary school children – up from 39,000 last year. Andy McGowan, policy manager at the Carers Trust, estimates two young carers are likely in every classroom and warns that these students face nearly double the absence rates of their peers.
The census also reveals a surge in state-funded special schools, reaching 157,000 pupils this year compared to 105,000 in 2015-16. This coincides with an increase in children with Education, Health and Care plans. The teaching profession continues to face challenges, including a growing workforce by only 259, high teacher turnover, and fewer trainees being recruited. Teacher vacancies have jumped significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic, from 1,098 in 2020 to 2,800 in 2023 – even as the pupil population increases.
Source: Department for Education