Funding for schools, breakfast clubs and free school meals to
tackle child poverty.
Children and families across Scotland will benefit from the
Scottish Government's sustained investment in Education and
Skills as part of the national mission to eradicate child
poverty.
The proposed Scottish Budget for 2026-27 commits up to £200
million to the Scottish Attainment Challenge, which has already
delivered sustained progress in closing the poverty-related
attainment gap. This includes Pupil Equity Funding that aims to
empower headteachers to tailor support to meet the specific needs
of pupils and families in their communities.
An additional £15 million will ensure that all primary school
children are able to access a free breakfast club by August 2027,
while free school meals are being expanded to a further 5,500
pupils for 2026-27.
Speaking ahead of a visit to see the breakfast club offer at
Downfield Primary School in Dundee, Education Secretary said:
"The Scottish Government's budget plans reflect our unwavering
commitment to giving every child in Scotland the best possible
start in life, regardless of their background.
“Scotland's schools are delivering literacy and numeracy
attainment at the highest levels on record, with sustained
progress in narrowing the poverty-related attainment gap through
the Scottish Attainment Challenge. Our continuing investment of
up to £200 million will build on these gains, with Pupil Equity
Funding continuing to give headteachers the flexibility to
respond to the specific needs of their communities.
"We know that children cannot learn if they are hungry or worried
about what is happening at home. Our investment in free breakfast
clubs and the expanded the rollout of free school meals to more
children will help to address food insecurity and help to ease
pressure on family budgets at a time when it is needed most
“These measures are central to our national mission to tackle
child poverty and ensure every child has the opportunity to
thrive.”
Background
The latest published figures
show that attainment levels are at record highs and the
poverty-related attainment gap is at a record low in literacy and
numeracy.
More than two-thirds of those eligible (67.7%) for free school
meals were able to benefit from a balanced and nutritious meal as
part of their school day in 2023-24. This is up by over three
percentage points on the previous year, the latest figures
demonstrate.
