Petition · past parliament
Keep the free school meal program
Closed
828 signatures
What the petition asks
The government is considering scrapping the free school meal program.
Positive benefits from this program include significant academic & behavioural improvements along with a big increase in consumption of healthy food with better behaviour, cohesion, and school moral helping all pupils.
Positive benefits from this program include significant academic & behavioural improvements along with a big increase in consumption of healthy food with better behaviour, cohesion, and school moral helping all pupils.
Program trials in Durham and Newham from 2009 to 2011 saw significant results with a big fall in consumption of unhealthy foods and a big increase in consumption of fruit and vegetables.
The academic results were astonishing with children in the pilot areas moving ahead of their peers by almost a term.
As a result, the program was rolled out across the country and is having continued excellent results.
Over the longer term scrapping the scheme will prove to be financially counter-productive.
The academic results were astonishing with children in the pilot areas moving ahead of their peers by almost a term.
As a result, the program was rolled out across the country and is having continued excellent results.
Over the longer term scrapping the scheme will prove to be financially counter-productive.
Timeline
| 8 Sep 2015 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 8 Mar 2016 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
828
Status
Closed
Opened
8 Sep 2015
Closed
8 Mar 2016
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.