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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 20 March 2009

2,000 pupils miss out on free meals

MORE than 2,000 Islington schoolchildren eligible for free school lunches are not claiming them, it has emerged.
Figures released this week reveal that 11 per cent of pupils from families living under the poverty line are not registering for the meals.
Of inner London boroughs, Islington has the fifth highest figure of children missing out on free meals.
The figures were published on The Guardian newspaper’s datablog, which compares the percentage of children in each local authority in workless households (compiled by social policy expert Donald Hirsch) with Department for Children Schools and Families statistics on those claiming free school meals.
Under budget plans forced through by opposition Labour councillors all primary schoolchildren in Islington are to be given free meals, introduced over the next year and a half.
Shadow education spokesman Labour councillor Richard Watts said: “It’s a disgrace that kids in poverty aren’t claiming free school meals. It’s clearly something Islington is doing wrong. Compared to most other boroughs, we’re considerably down the list.
“Some schools, like Duncome Primary in my ward, make a real effort to get people to register but not all do. This is about vital support for families who don’t earn a lot of money.”
Lib Dem education chief Cllr Paula Belford said: “We encourage parents where possible but we can’t force them. Some want their children to have a packed lunch. When you sign on for income support you get a leaflet that tells you of your entitlements.”
Kristina Glenn, the director of Cripplegate Foundation, a charity whose sole aim is to tackle poverty in Islington, said the figures confirmed findings in its Invisible Islington report published in November.
“It showed that, even though we have huge numbers of opportunities in the borough, our poorest residents are not taking them,” she added. “One-to-one support makes a difference and that’s why we’re setting up a new door-knocking service which would tell people about their entitlements. It’s truly shocking that 67 per cent of children in some of our schools are on free school meals.”

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