The Department of Education has published statistics on the uptake of school meals in local schools, commonly known as the School Meals Census.
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The key findings from the School Meals Census are:-
Uptake of school meals
- Over 185,000 school meals, both free and paid, were taken by pupils on census day, which equates to a school meals uptake level of 60.6% by pupils present for lunch on the day.
- The school meals uptake level for 2015/16 is 0.9 percentage point higher than the previous year.
Entitlement to free school meals
- The number of pupils entitled to free school meals has surpassed the 100,000 mark; at 101,063 this represents 30.6% of pupils.
Uptake of free school meals
- The uptake level for free school meals by entitled pupils is 81.1%; this represents an increase of half a percentage point from the previous year.
This statistical release may be accessed at School meals - 2015/16 statistical bulletin - 14 April 2016
Notes to editors:
1. For more details about the statistics contained in this press release, or to request further information and analysis, please contact:
Stephen Paulin
Analytical Services Unit
Department of Education
Rathgael House
Balloo Road
Rathgill
BANGOR
BT19 7PR
Tel. 028 9127 9638
Fax 028 9127 9594
Email: stephen.paulin@deni.gov.uk
2. DE statistical press releases can be accessed on the DE website under the Statistics and Research Section.
3. Media enquiries to the Department of Education’s Communications Team on Tel: 028 9127 9207. Out of office hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699715440 and your call will be returned.