Bob Seely has welcomed the Conservative pledge to give free school breakfasts to all children in primary schools. Since the announcement was made as part of Thursday’s manifesto launch, Bob has received positive feedback on the doorstep from parents about this proposal.
He said: “Too many children miss out on breakfast. This is the most important meal of the day, and this new announcement recognises that. Providing a decent breakfast will help primary aged children on the Island to make progress in school.
“Importantly, the Conservatives have also confirmed their commitment to continue providing free school lunches to children from low-income families throughout their years in primary and secondary education. This will be balanced by ditching the recent initiative of giving free school lunches to all 4-7 year olds, irrespective of parental income. This is not a good use of public money, and providing breakfast to all primary aged children will have a wider and more positive impact.
“Theresa May has also made clear that the savings from these changes will be added to the core schools budget, meaning that every penny saved will go towards children’s education.
“I also welcome the announcement that the Pupil Premium will be protected, providing additional funding for schools to support children from low-income families. The Isle of Wight Council must continue to work with schools to ensure that the maximum number of qualifying pupils are registered for the Pupil Premium, to receive the funding to which they are entitled. This must go hand-in-hand with a fairer funding model for Island schools, and I will be speaking more about this in the coming days.”