Maintained nursery, maintained primary and state-funded secondary schools: school meal arrangements—as at January each year
Maintained nursery and primary schools( 1)
State-funded secondary schools( 1,2)
Number on roll( 3)
Number of pupils taking free school meals
Percentage taking free school meals
Number known to be eligible for free school meals
Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals
Number on roll( 3)
Number of pupils taking free school meals
Percentage taking free school meals
Number known to be eligible for free school meals
Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals
Braintree
1997
8,840
1,100
12.5
1,350
15.3
4,860
470
9.7
620
12.8
1998
9,160
920
10.1
1,190
13.0
4,880
470
9.7
630
12.9
1999
9,320
850
9.1
1,090
11.7
4,990
430
8.7
580
11.6
2000
9,230
780
8.4
1,060
11.5
5,180
410
7.9
570
10.9
2001
9,350
740
7.9
940
10.0
5,390
400
7.5
590
10.9
2002
9,680
750
7.7
970
10.0
5,590
390
6.9
570
10.1
2003
9,690
700
7.3
910
9.3
5,660
410
7.2
530
9.3
2004
9,590
730
7.6
940
9.8
5,870
400
6.7
540
9.2
2005
9,450
690
7.3
830
8.8
5,980
400
6.7
530
8.8
2006
9,360
680
7.3
800
8.6
6,070
350
5.8
450
7.4
2007
9,280
690
7.4
780
8.3
6,040
340
5.6
420
70
2008
9,290
670
7.2
740
8.0
5,960
310
5.1
390
6.6
Essex
1997(4)
136,680
18,670
13.7
23,110
16.9
97,620
9,240
9.5
12,540
12.8
1998(4)
139,410
17,300
12.4
21,570
15.5
98,590
9,000
9.1
12,280
12.5
1999(5)
113,130
11,910
10.5
15,480
13.7
82,190
6,620
8.1
9,050
11.0
2000(5)
113,220
11,380
10.0
14,530
12.8
84,220
6,550
7.8
8,830
10.5
2001(5)
112,740
10,320
9.2
13,180
11.7
86,250
6,110
7.1
8,600
10.0
2002(5)
112,450
9,830
8.7
12,790
11.4
87,800
6,050
6.9
8,200
9.3
2003(5)
111,440
9,790
8.8
12,400
11.1
89,500
6,000
6.7
7,990
8.9
2004(5)
110,430
9,790
8.9
12,340
11.2
90,690
6,280
6.9
8,160
9.0
2005(5)
108,690
9,580
8.8
11,790
10.8
90,910
6,040
6.6
7,770
8.5
2006(5)
107,390
9,430
8.8
10,800
10.1
91,100
5,840
6.4
7,590
8.3
2007(5)
105,860
9,130
8.6
10,530
9.9
90,530
5,430
6.0
7,030
7.8
2008(5)
105,250
8,890
8.4
9,970
9.5
89,680
5,360
6.0
6,730
7.5
England
1997
4,479,450
775,740
17.3
944,590
21.1
3,052,280
384,150
12.6
556,250
18.2
1998
4,508,920
731,580
16.2
891,050
19.8
3,084,820
370,580
12.0
540,250
17.5
1999
4,507,660
690,320
15.3
853,020
18.9
3,134,470
370,510
11.8
527,340
16.8
2000
4,481,680
671,490
15.0
821,520
18.3
3,194,590
370,930
11.6
526,740
16.5
2001
4,451,220
631,640
14.2
783,510
17.6
3,740,130
355,700
9.5
512,320
13.7
2002
4,405,640
616,630
14.0
754,510
17.1
3,277,100
356,440
10.9
488,490
14.9
2003
4,350,260
604,910
13.9
731,610
16.8
3,328,730
353,000
10.6
482,920
14.5
2004
4,293,180
608,760
14.2
741,150
17.3
3,353,360
356,970
10.6
483,880
14.4
2005
4,243,110
568,350
13.4
717,230
16.9
3,349,220
341,810
10.2
473,740
14.1
2006
4,187,630
556,180
13.3
670,340
16.0
3,347,500
336,940
10.1
458,690
13.7
2007
4,148,390
544,370
13.1
658,910
15.9
3,325,620
327,110
9.8
445,070
13.4
2008
4,127,840
538,460
13.0
641,490
15.5
3,294,580
326,480
9.9
433,140
13.1
(1) Includes middle-schools as deemed. (2) Includes City Technology Colleges and Academies. (3) Prior to 2003, this includes all full-time and part-time pupils who are solely registered, excluding boarding pupils. Due to underlying changes in data collection, this coverage was extended to also include all pupils with dual (main) registration and boarding pupils, from 2003. (4) Before local authority reorganisation. (5) After local authority reorganisation. Source:
School Census
