Tim Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils in each year cohort were eligible for free school meals in each year since 1997. [311425]
25 Jan 2010 : Column 618W
Ms Diana R. Johnson [holding answer 18 November 2009 ]: The available information on free school meals (FSM) is shown in the tables.
Maintained primary( 1) and state-funded secondary( 1,2) schools: School meal arrangements by national curriculum year group, England 2002-04
2002
2003
2004
National curriculum year
Number of pupils( 3)
Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)
% of pupils eligible for FSM
Number of pupils( 3)
Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)
% of pupils eligible for FSM
Number of pupils( 3)
Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)
% of pupils eligible for FSM
Nursery classes
301,300
17,630
5.9
290,590
16,870
5.8
283,430
16,590
5.9
Reception
568,900
96,440
17.0
550,920
90,110
16.4
542,560
91,420
16.9
1
571,360
104,070
18.2
580,840
104,890
18.1
568,340
104,540
18.4
2
578,390
106,040
18.3
570,080
103,090
18.1
580,520
109,000
18.8
3
590,450
107,980
18.3
577,910
104,160
18.0
569,110
104,610
18.4
4
588,810
108,400
18.4
589,450
104,560
17.7
576,970
105,570
18.3
5
610,720
109,800
18.0
590,090
104,720
17.7
587,790
105,500
17.9
6
606,520
106,790
17.6
607,760
104,760
17.2
586,460
104,460
17.8
7
606,430
103,670
17.1
607,640
101,710
16.7
601,620
99,690
16.6
8
590,010
99,180
16.8
597,220
97,900
16.4
606,530
99,820
16.5
9
594,440
96,250
16.2
588,540
93,290
15.9
596,780
94,160
15.8
10
575,400
89,010
15.5
594,160
89,200
15.0
587,690
88,020
15.0
11
540,010
75,440
14.0
561,720
76,740
13.7
579,690
78,890
13.6
12
184,800
12,360
6.7
192,450
12,850
6.7
192,100
12,210
6.4
13
130,540
5,590
4.3
137,790
5,590
4.1
144,350
6,300
4.4
14
5,310
450
8.4
1,340
120
9.1
3,610
310
8.6
(1)( )Includes middle schools as deemed. (2)( )Includes CTCs and academies. (3)( )Includes sole and dual (main) registrations. (4)( )Those eligible may choose not to take up their offer of a free school meal for various reasons, e.g. through preference or through non-attendance on the day. Pupils are counted as eligible only if they meet the eligibility criteria and make a claim. Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10, percentages rounded to one decimal place. Source: School Census.
Maintained primary( 1) and state-funded secondary( 1,2) schools: School meal arrangements by national curriculum year group, England 2005-07
2005
2006
2007
National curriculum year
Number of pupils( 3)
Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)
% of pupils eligible for FSM
Number of pupils( 3)
Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)
% of pupils eligible for FSM
Number of pupils( 3)
Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)
% of pupils eligible for FSM
Nursery classes
279,490
15,840
5.7
278,170
0
5.0
283,150
13,630
4.8
Reception
525,390
87,590
16.7
522,710
81,950
15.7
522,650
82,050
15.7
1
564,280
101,910
18.1
544,510
93,800
17.2
533,830
91,300
17.1
2
565,920
102,660
18.1
560,360
96,470
17.2
545,200
94,570
17.3
3
579,700
105,610
18.2
564,900
96,250
17.0
558,900
94,950
17.0
4
569,170
101,800
17.9
579,550
99,230
17.1
564,610
94,840
16.8
5
575,540
101,440
17.6
568,460
95,010
16.7
578,830
96,540
16.7
6
587,640
101,120
17.2
575,100
94,920
16.5
567,820
92,360
16.3
7
580,010
94,960
16.4
578,810
95,100
16.4
565,650
90,830
16.1
8
600,440
96,220
16.0
580,120
90,850
15.7
578,570
88,700
15.3
9
603,100
93,440
15.5
599,390
89,140
14.9
579,160
85,450
14.8
10
595,790
87,750
14.7
601,930
84,570
14.0
598,740
81,960
13.7
11
575,560
77,210
13.4
584,730
75,190
12.9
591,280
73,870
12.5
12
198,910
12,790
6.4
204,410
12,440
6.1
212,200
12,740
6.0
13
151,130
6,830
4.5
152,680
6,430
4.2
152,960
6,430
4.2
14
2,620
240
9.1
2,240
290
13.1
2,840
370
13.1
(1)( )Includes middle schools as deemed. (2)( )Includes CTCs and academies. (3)( )Includes sole and dual (main) registrations. (4)( )Those eligible may choose not to take up their offer of a free school meal for various reasons, e.g. through preference or through non-attendance on the day. Pupils are counted as eligible only if they meet the eligibility criteria and make a claim. Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10, percentages rounded to one decimal place. Source: School Census.
