5.1 It has been recognised that identifying pupils who are in receipt of free school meals can inhibit them from taking up their entitlement. Hungry for Success recommended that schools should maximise the anonymity of pupils entitled to free school meals and that education authorities should adopt cashless catering systems, particularly in secondary schools.
5.2 A few LAs promoted uptake of free meals by distributing leaflets which explained their systems for maximising the anonymity of pupils entitled to free meals. These leaflets were distributed through schools as well as being available from local libraries. LA websites and school handbooks also provided this information. A few LAs had introduced arrangements to enable parents to pay for school lunches through online payment systems.
5.3 Most schools had systems that maximised the anonymity of pupils entitled to free school meals. However, a few primary schools and just under one quarter of secondary schools inspected did not protect the anonymity of these pupils. Staff in most of these schools tried to ensure that their procedures were handled as discreetly as possible. For example, where payment for meals was made by cash at a servery, pupils receiving free meals were discreetly noted on a list as they passed the till point. However, anonymity was not always ensured. In too many schools, the approach used was to provide only pupils entitled to free meals with a token or ticket to exchange for their meal, thereby openly identifying them. In a few cases, secondary pupils entitled to free meals were being further disadvantaged by not being able to use pre-ordering systems.
5.4 Most secondary schools inspected used cashless payment cards to ensure anonymity for pupils in receipt of free school meals. A few schools reported an increase in the number of pupils taking their free school meal entitlement after the introduction of card systems. The majority of pupils thought that the cashless card was an acceptable method of payment which helped to reduce queuing time in the dining room. Pupils particularly valued the card system where it was linked to use of other services such as libraries and sports centres, or where it entitled pupils to discounts in shops. In some schools, cash allocations for pupils entitled to free school meals were put on the card before lunch so that pupils could use their entitlement at breakfast, morning break or lunchtime.
5.5 In most secondary schools, however, pupils also identified the following problems which discouraged them from using the card system.