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Minister serves up free Christmas school meals

Monday, 23 December 2024 at 10:28

By Gareth Joy X @lookoutwales2

WG

The Education Secretary helped serve free Christmas dinners to pupils at a primary school in Rhoose.

This year, all primary school children across Wales were entitled to a free Christmas meal for the first time.

The Welsh Government says over 35 million meals have been served since a two-year rollout of its universal programme was completed in September.

Rhws Primary School has also recently upgraded its kitchen and dining areas after it secured funding to improve facilities.

Carole Tyler, managing director of the Big Fresh Catering Company, which provides school meals in the Vale, said: "The school staff, pupils, and catering staff at Rhws primary school are very thankful for their new kitchen and dining hall, thanks to the Welsh Government’s funding for Universal Primary Free School Meals."

"The kitchen has modern new equipment helping to provide healthy, nutritious meals. The dining hall is a new, bright inviting space, ideal for pupils to socially interact while sharing lunch together."

The Vale of Glamorgan was one of the first areas of Wales to introduce the free school meals policy, drawn up under the Welsh Government's Senedd co-operation deal with Plaid Cymru, which was broken off in May.

Ministers say it helps to improve pupils' behaviour as well as promote healthy eating and increase social skills during meal times.

Lynne Neagle said: “It has been great to see the learners here at Rhws Primary School enjoying their Christmas dinner. I’m extremely proud that Wales is the first UK nation to offer all primary school children a free school meal."

"I would like to thank our local authorities and schools for helping to make this a reality. We are helping to tackle child poverty, as well as improving the wellbeing of our learners, and this has already made a huge difference to families across Wales."

But the policy hasn't been without its issues.

In February, the Welsh Government admitted it did not follow the law when deciding not to fund free meals during the school holidays, following a legal claim bought by two families.

The Welsh Conservatives claimed the policy had been "poorly implemented...from the outset" by ministers amid claims of "low quality and small portion sizes due to councils struggling with Labour's budget cuts."

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