‘Shocking’ proportion of children in special schools not taking up their free school meals

One in four free school meal eligible children in special schools are not taking up their entitlement, new research has revealed, prompting urgent calls to make school food more inclusive for them.

The Adapt-Ed study, led by researchers at the University of Hertfordshire in partnership with University of Essex and the charity School Food Matters, and supported with funding from The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East of England, has been looking at ways to improve school food for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Researchers examined government data and uncovered that children attending special schools – who are already more likely than their peers to grow up in poverty and qualify for free school meals – are far less likely to access school food due to “unmet dietary and eating needs”.

Some children may go the entire school day without eating properly as a result, the researchers warned - leading to difficulty concentrating in class, increased anxiety and dysregulation, and physical health problems. While some parents or carers may turn to packed lunches, these are often less nutritious and add financial and time pressures to already stretched families.

The researchers highlighted several areas where school meals could be made more inclusive, drawing on their recent work with children with SEND, their parents and carers, and school staff.

Children with SEND, especially those with restrictive diets, often rely on access to familiar or ‘safe’ foods - but those preferred options are not always available in special schools. The way food is presented and how new foods are introduced are also very important and can make a big difference.

The report also found that changes to the food environment to accommodate sensory needs could improve children’s mood, behaviour, and ability to eat and enjoy food.

However, special schools have little guidance on food policy, including how to make reasonable adjustments and meet school food standards. The Adapt-Ed policy brief urges the government to develop evidence-based approaches on how schools can best meet the food needs of children with SEND.

It also asks the government to investigate low free school meal uptake in special schools, and to begin publishing data on how many children with SEND in mainstream schools are accessing their entitlement - where rates may be even lower.

Next, the researchers plan to apply for a new project to test adaptations to the school food environment in special schools.

Rebecca O’Connell, Professor of Food, Families and Society at the University of Hertfordshire, said:

“Better school meal uptake can improve children’s nutrition, mental health, learning, and support family finances, as well as provide benefits for the school, such as improved attendance and behaviour. However, not only do schools face many challenges in providing nutritious, inclusive meals, it is not straightforward to agree on what good food looks like or how to deliver it in special schools. 

“We know that too many children with SEND are missing out on nutritious school food, but there is a lack of systematic data and policy attention to ensure inclusive provision. This has to change. We urgently want to see evidence-based school food provision that works for all children.”

Gary Smith, Executive Head at Market Field School in Essex, said:

“The provision of school meals in specialist settings is crucial. Food and sleep are the fundamental prerequisites of being ready to learn. Children in special educational needs provisions may, for a wide variety of reasons, have highly restrictive diets, and if free school meals are not taken up then we are adding another layer to the vicious cycle of deprivation. We fully back the urgency and need for new evidence-based guidance.”

Michelle Jacques, a parent of a child with SEND, said:

“The impact on families living with feeding challenges like Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder is huge. As parents, we already worry about whether our children are getting enough energy and nutrition from their limited diets. At school, it's vital that they're supported to access their safe, preferred foods – this helps reduce anxiety, prevent dysregulation, and maintain the energy they need to get through the day.”

Sharon Hodgson, MP and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on School Food, said:

“It is shocking that a quarter of children who are eligible for free school meals in special schools aren't taking up their entitlement. We need to make nutritious food accessible to all children, especially those with special needs and disabilities. This government is going further and faster with universal primary breakfast clubs and an unprecedented expansion to free school meals, which will support 500,000 more children, but these measures must benefit all.”