More than half of primary-aged pupils were registered for free school meals last year

The number of primary school pupils receiving free school meals has tripled in the past decade, new figures reveal.

More than half of primary-aged pupils were registered for free school meals last year, increasing from 16.7 per cent in 2009 to 53.5 per cent. Secondary pupils on free school meals now make up 15 per cent of the total number, an increase from 12.3 per cent in 2009.

The government’s policy to extend free school meals for pupils between P1 and P3, which includes those aged from four to eight, resulted in a rise to 213,199, up from 77,791 registered children when it was introduced in 2015.

P1, P2 and P3 pupils accounted for 169,931 of the 260,842 eligible children last year, according to the