Extend free school milk throughout Reception
Eight in 10 Brits back fairer access to free school milk for Reception children
New research commissioned by Cool Milk shows strong public support for extending free school milk to the end of Reception – helping ensure every child can benefit during their first year at school.
A national poll has revealed that 82% of people support extending free school milk to all children until the end of Reception, rather than the entitlement ending when a child turns five.
Milk plays an important role in children’s early development, providing key nutrients that support bone growth, dental health and overall physical development. Good nutrition in the early years is also linked to improved concentration, cognitive development and classroom engagement – helping children build healthy habits and get the best possible start at school.
Why the current system creates challenges
Under current Government policy, children receive free school milk until their fifth birthday. However, because children turn five at different times during the school year, many stop receiving milk part way through their first year at school while their classmates continue.
This staggered cut-off can create additional administrative work for school staff managing different eligibility dates. It can also lead to challenges in the classroom when some children receive milk and others do not.
After their fifth birthday, milk is only available through a subsidised scheme in which parents pay the remaining cost. Currently, only 13.5% of parents choose to pay, meaning more than 480,000 children stop receiving school milk once their entitlement ends. Disadvantaged pupils are also the least likely to continue receiving milk, which can widen inequalities at a critical stage of development.
Public support for a fairer approach
The research highlights how strongly people value good nutrition during children’s first year of school:
- 86% agree that good nutrition in the first year of primary school is important for children’s learning and development
- 82% say access to free school milk can help support families facing cost-of-living pressures
- 83% believe a child’s access to healthy food or drink at school should not depend on the month they were born
Together, the findings suggest that many people see access to school milk as an issue of fairness as well as health and education.
Supporting a fair start for every child
Through its ‘Fair milk for a fair start’ campaign, Cool Milk is calling on the Government to introduce a universal cut-off date so that all children can receive free school milk until the end of their Reception year.
The proposed change would cost less than £24 per pupil and would remove the mid-year cliff edge that currently affects many children. It could also help reduce administrative pressures for schools while supporting British dairy farmers and wider ambitions around preventative health and food security.
Mike Ferrand, Managing Director at Cool Milk, said:
“Children’s access to healthy nutrition shouldn’t depend on the month they were born. Ending free milk on a child’s fifth birthday creates an unnecessary cliff-edge in the middle of their first year at school. This is a simple, low-cost and evidence-based change that would support families, reduce burdens on schools and help give every child the fair start they deserve.”
To find out more about the campaign, visit: www.fairmilkfairstart.com
