Evaluating City of York Council’s Universal Free School Meals

Picture of three lunch boxes contents. Sandwiches and fruit inside.

Dr Rebecca Kerr, Y-PERN Policy Fellow, University of York

Food for thought? It seems so

Y-PERN colleagues, along with researchers from TYPE, collaborated with colleagues from the University of Leeds and the City of York Council (CYC) to evaluate the Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) pilot in York city. The pilot, launched in January 2024 as the York Hungry Minds appeal provides universal free lunches at one school and universal free breakfasts at another. This scheme was developed in response to concerns about the impact of cost-of-living pressures, with some neighbourhoods in York ranked among the 20% most deprived areas in the UK. Many families are struggling financially, and children can arrive at school hungry.

The pilot had key target policy outcomes, which included reducing the stigma attached for receiving free school meals (FSM), ensuring that children currently excluded from the national FSMs would be included and broadly, to reach all children living in poverty. The scheme also sought to improve educational outcomes, enhance children’s health, create local jobs, and promote community wealth. Additionally, the CYC hoped that the UFSM scheme would align with the Council’s four core commitments to health, the environment, affordability, and human rights and equalities.

The evaluation combined qualitative and quantitative approaches. Researchers from the University of York led the qualitative analysis, drawing on interviews with school staff and parents from the pilot schools, while the University of Leeds team conducted quantitative analysis. Together, the analysis explored the scheme’s impact on key outcomes and provided insights into the broader challenges of implementing UFSM policies.

The core findings of the qualitative research are as follows:

Affordability:

Families have been placed under financial strain due to rising insecurity and the cost-of-living crisis. Staff report that pupils could arrive at school hungry and lack adequate pack-ups. Parents reflected that the UFSM alleviated some financial pressures enabling families to reorganise their family budgets.

Equalities:

Universalism a core principle of the UFSM pilot, aiming to eliminate stigma that may be associated with receiving FSM and to stop pupils from feeling different to their peers. Interviewees also note that universalism was also to remove the stigma of means testing to access FSM. Interviewees highlighted that universalism also removed the stigma tied to means-testing for FSM access. However, limiting the pilot to schools in the city’s most deprived wards risked inadvertently reinforcing stigma, as the program’s association with these areas might mark it as targeted rather than universal. Expanding the pilot city-wide could help address this issue. Additionally, the pilot’s funding model, described as resembling a “charity model”, was noted as another potential source of stigma.

Outcomes:

Staff observed improvements in pupils’ school readiness, noting better punctuality, attendance, and overall wellbeing. Enhanced readiness to learn was also reported, with staff at both schools highlighting improvements in cognitive functioning and educational outcomes. Parents shared that their children were happier to attend school in the mornings due to the breakfast provision. They also expressed that the pilot reduced time pressures in the morning and simplified the planning of school lunches, contributing to a smoother routine.

Health:

Parents noted that their children enjoyed a variety of healthy meals and appreciated being informed in advance about meal selections. Some parents mentioned that their children were willing to try new foods at school, broadening their dietary habits. School staff observed that spending time with pupils in the dining hall provided an opportunity for one-on-one interactions in a safe, informal setting, allowing for more holistic support outside the usual classroom environment.

Although the scheme is still in its early stages, there are some indications of improved physical health among pupils. More notably, there are strong signs of enhanced wellbeing, happiness, and mental health, evidenced by pupils’ increased engagement and positive play during break times.

Environment:

Most pupils generally finish their meals, though some food waste occurs, particularly with vegetables. This suggests a need for greater consideration of what children are more likely to eat. Catering staff may be well-positioned to provide insights and recommendations for meal adjustments to better align with pupils’ preferences while maintaining nutritional value.

Implementation:

As part of the evaluation, we also examined the practical aspects of implementing the scheme, especially in light of the Council’s plans to extend the pilot to other schools in the area. A key insight was the significant amount of time required for effective implementation. This includes considerations around the allocation of staff time needed to manage and sustain such a programme, as well as ensuring that school facilities are adequately prepared to support the initiative. With additional time for implementation, schools could more effectively manage communication with parents and guardians, addressing a key challenge identified during the pilot.

Further evaluative work will build on the collaboration between colleagues at the University of York and the University of Leeds to align research findings more comprehensively. Additional quantitative analysis is expected to provide deeper insights into pupil attendance and punctuality, while further qualitative research with pupils will centre on their experiences of receiving UFSMs.

Following initial research, the CYC plans to extend the UFSM programme to more schools across the city.

See the interim report here

Dr Rebecca Kerr is a Y-PERN Policy Fellow at the University of York, hosted within The York Policy Engine (TYPE).

Photo by Antoni Shkraba