Evaluation of Secondary School Meals Pilot

On 20 February 2023, The Mayor of London unveiled a 130m emergency fund to provide all primary school children in the capital with a free school meal for one year from September 2023. Southwark Council already fund universal primary school meal provision through the Free Healthy School Meals grant. Following a presentation at Council Assembly on 22 February 2023, the Leader of the Council announced on 24 February 2023 that Southwark Council intend to use the expected Free Healthy School Meals grant saving to tackle hunger in secondary schools. Southwark Council recognise the importance of formally evaluating this one year pilot to capture learning around the policy implementation process and understand the impact of funding school meals in secondary schools on hunger, nutrition, attainment and stigma.