NAHT urges automatic enrolment for all eligible children in free school meals

School leaders’ union, NAHT, has urged the automatic enrolment for all eligible children in free school meals.

Responding to a new Education Policy Institute report which found a significant number of children living in poverty are missing out on free school meals and the pupil premium, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, said: “Free school meals offer a vital safety net for families and their children, not just in terms of the meals themselves but the additional funding that schools receive.

“However, too many pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds are currently missing out because of how the system works. This includes children who are eligible but whose parents do not register, possibly due to a perceived social stigma, and we would urge ministers to ensure all children entitled to free school meals are automatically registered.

“Crucially, this would also unlock the pupil premium funding which schools receive to support the most disadvantaged pupils.”

The report, published by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) on Thursday 6 March explores the strengths and weaknesses of free school meals and pupil premium as measures for identifying disadvantaged pupils in England.

Significant differences were found between the number of children estimated to be living in poverty and those who are receiving free school meals and pupil premium.

It also noted that under-registration for free school meals is especially high among younger primary children and that the gap between those registered for free school meals or receiving pupil premium is particularly noticeable for children from certain communities.

Commenting on the findings, Chris Paterson, co-CEO at the Education Endowment Foundation, stated: “The pupil premium – and free school meals – are among the most powerful tools we have to level the education playing field and ensure every child and young person receives the support they need. Yet, this new report is a stark reminder that so many eligible pupils are currently missing out on this crucial support.

“While there will never be a perfect measure of poverty, policymakers must address the low enrolment levels for free school meals. For the sector to effectively target resources towards the schools and areas that need them most, we need accurate, comparable, and timely data. This is central to our collective mission of breaking the link between family income and educational disadvantage.”

The full report by the Education Policy Institute can be read here: https://epi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/FSM-report-March-2025_PDF.pdf