Figures reveal 10% rise in FSM across England as school leaders warn real child poverty level is even higher
Nearly one in three children in the north-east are receiving free school meals (FSM), according to figures that reveal a 10% rise across England, as school leaders warn the real level of child poverty is even higher.
The figures released in the Department for Education’s annual school census show that 22.5% of state school pupils are on FSM, up from 20.8% last year, reflecting the increasing number of households on universal credit and earning less than £7,400 a year after tax.
