NASUWT National Executive Member Ngaire McCann has highlighted the scandal of the growing numbers of pupils who are coming to school hungry due to the financial pressures their families are under.
Speaking on a motion on food poverty at TUC Congress in Brighton today, she highlighted the rising numbers of teachers who are having to step in and provide food for hungry pupils.
She pointed to NASUWT research which shows that 71% of teachers say they have seen pupils coming to school hungry and 78% have seen pupil lacking in energy and concentration due to eating poorly.
Over half of teachers say their school has given food to hungry pupils and over a quarter have personally provided food for students.
She said: “It is clear that these sharp practices are not acceptable and have only occurred as a result of the Government’s misguided deregulation policy that has allowed schools to adopt charging policies, no matter what the implications are for their students.
“We must campaign to ensure that the Government regulates to stop these abuses and does more to recognise the impact that poverty can have upon our children’s futures.”
