Free meals for City College students
During the summer term, City College Plymouth students who are aged 16 to 18 and have a household income below £20,817 are being given a £9 a week cash payment to purchase meals whilst attending College.
Currently, 16 to18 year olds from a disadvantaged background who study at a further education or sixth form College do not receive free meals at lunchtime, whereas their counterparts in school sixth forms do.
The Association of Colleges (AoC) has been campaigning and lobbying government with their ‘No Free Lunch’ campaign. They believe extending the right to free meals for college students aged 16 to 18 would encourage participation in education and training - especially since the abolition of the education maintenance allowance.
Student Services Manager at the College, Claire Roberts, said: “The College made the decision to offer free meals in light of the increasing number of students accessing emergency meal vouchers, as well as listening to the national and College Student Voice regarding the lack of free school meals provision in a further education setting.
“Having a healthy meal helps give students more energy and helps boost concentration and performance in the classroom.”
