Every primary school pupil in Tower Hamlets will be given free school meals, it has been announced.
\nTower Hamlets Council is providing funding so that every primary school pupil \u2013 all 25,271 children from Reception through to Year 6 \u2013 will receive a free meal each day from the start of the next academic year in September.
\nTower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: \u201cThis is great news for parents and children in Tower Hamlets.
\n\u201cWe know that happy, healthy children make better learners and this measure will only help drive through further improvements in the borough\u2019s education performance.\u201d
\nThe scheme was approved by the full council last night (Wednesday, March 26). It will cost an estimated \u00a32.675million per academic year.
\nCllr Oliur Rahman, cabinet member for children, schools and families, said: \u201cResidents of this borough are always the focus of this council\u2019s activities, and we know what a huge difference free school meals will make to families in Tower Hamlets.\u201d
\nToday\u2019s announcement is the latest in a series of changes to the free school meals policy in Tower Hamlets.
\nAt the start of the current academic year in September last year, the council became one of the first local authorities to introduce free school meals for its youngest primary school pupils \u2013 those in Reception and Year 1.
\nThis was quickly followed by a Government announcement that it would be rolling out the scheme nationally, and also including Year 2 pupils in the initiative.
\nTower Hamlets\u2019 new policy will ensure that the borough\u2019s 15,233 primary school pupils not provided for by the Government\u2019s scheme will now benefit.<\/p>\n