The Prime Minister has highlighted the role of good school food in tackling diet-related ill health after data showed a significant proportion of school-age children are living with obesity.
Sir Keir Starmer hosted a reception at 10 Downing Street this week in which he stressed the importance of UK Government initiatives aimed at making UK children healthier.
Recently announced measures include imposing restrictions on junk food advertising and the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks, expanding access to free school meals, and establishing universal free breakfast clubs.
Last week, national data from over 1.1 million children measured across state-maintained schools in England during the academic year 2024 to 2025 revealed that 10.5% of children in reception and 22.2% of year 6 children are living with obesity.
The government was keen to stress the figures cover the period before its current public health interventions have taken effect, but described them as “shocking” with health secretary Wes Streeting vowing that the government “won’t look away as kids become unhealthier”.
Free breakfast clubs are being introduced in a staged rollout so that all primary school children in England will have access to a healthy breakfast.
From the start of the next school year, eligibility for free school meals will be extended to all pupils in households receiving universal credit – equivalent to over half a million more children.
The government is also in the process of revising the school food standards for the first time since they were introduced in 2014 to ensure better quality and nutrition in children’s meals.
Polling by the charity Chefs in Schools carried out over the summer found strong support among parents for the revised standards to prioritise healthy food over convenience ‘junk’ foods, with 96% of parents believing it important that school meals are prepared with fresh or nutritious ingredients.
Campaigners have welcomed the focus on school food but have urged the government to go even further. “This announcement marks a major step forward and shows that school food is now a priority of the highest order,” said The Food Foundation executive director Anna Taylor.
“We now need decisive action from government to turn that commitment into reality by delivering an ambitious update to the school food standards, introducing proper monitoring of compliance and supporting schools to improve where needed, so that every plate reflects our shared goal: ensuring all children can eat well and thrive.”
