- The majority (52%) of Senior Leaders in state schools say the
number of pupils unable to afford lunch who aren’t eligible
for free school meals has increased this term, rising to 59% of
Senior Leaders in the most deprived schools
- State school teachers are seeing growing numbers of children
facing serious issues linked to the cost of living, including
coming to school hungry (38% of teachers) and without warm
clothing (54%)
- 38% of state school teachers say at least a third of their
pupils are facing financial pressures that are affecting their
ability to succeed in school, rising to 72% of teachers in the
most deprived schools
Clear signs that the cost of living crisis is increasingly
affecting young people’s education are laid out today in new
research published by the Sutton Trust. A survey of school
teachers across England, carried out by Teacher Tapp, reveals
that teachers are seeing growing numbers of pupils facing serious
issues linked to living costs this autumn term.
Despite calls to widen access to Free School Meals from the 22.5%
of pupils currently eligible, the government declined to do so in
the November budget. However, the research reveals that over half
(52%) of Senior Leaders in state schools say that during the
autumn term, the number of children in their school unable to
afford lunch who weren’t eligible for free school meals
increased. Leaders working in the most deprived schools, with the
highest proportions of existing pupils eligible for Free School
Meals, were more likely to say there were more pupils unable to
afford lunch, at 59%, compared to 44% of those in the least
deprived schools. This indicates that pupils falling just outside
of Free School Meals eligibility are increasingly going hungry.
In state schools, three quarters (74%) of teachers say they have
seen an increase in pupils unable to concentrate or tired in
class, almost seven in ten (67%) have students with behaviour
issues, and over half (54%) have seen an increase in those coming
to school without adequate winter clothing like a coat. 38% of
teachers said growing numbers of children are coming to school
hungry, with 17% saying there was an increase in families asking
to be referred to foodbanks.
The survey shows marked differences between the experiences of
teachers in the most deprived schools and those in the most
affluent. The scale of difference was particularly high for the
most concerning problems - teachers seeing increasing numbers of
children coming to school hungry (56% in the most deprived
schools vs 22% in the least), families asking to be referred to a
foodbank (27% vs 8%) and an increase in those without adequate
winter clothing (65% vs 40%).
When asked about the proportion of pupils facing financial
pressures that were affecting their ability to succeed in school,
38% of state school teachers said this is the case for at least a
third of their class. This rises to 72% in the most deprived
schools. There were significant differences by region, with
around 43% of all teachers in the North West, Yorkshire and the
North East saying more than a third of their pupils are
struggling, compared to 27% of teachers from the South East.
Over two-thirds of teachers believe the cost of living crisis
will increase the attainment gap between the less well-off and
the most well-off pupils in their school, with 18% of teachers
believing this increase will be substantial. Just 9% of teachers
believe that the crisis won’t have any impact on the attainment
gap.
Sir Peter Lampl, Founder and Chairman of the Sutton Trust
and Chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation,
said:
“It’s a scandal that in one of the world’s richest countries
growing numbers of children are going without basics such as food
and warm clothing. More and more pupils in England’s most
deprived schools are coming to school hungry and without warm
clothing such as a coat. It’s a fact that children who arrive at
school hungry have difficulty learning. Three quarters (74%) of
state school teachers say they have seen an increase in pupils
unable to concentrate or tired in class. Almost seven in ten
(67%) have students with behaviour issues.
“Teachers in the most deprived schools report that increasing
numbers of children who are not eligible for Free School Meals
are unable to afford lunch. Over two-thirds of teachers believe
the cost of living crisis will increase the attainment gap
between the less well-off and the most well-off pupils in their
school.
“The facts are stark and shaming. Without radical intervention
and increased provision for those who need it most, the cost of
living crisis will produce a decline in social mobility, gravely
endangering the long-cherished project of levelling up.”
