Nearly nine in 10 schools in England are providing uniforms and clothing to some pupils as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, a report suggests.
More than two in three (70%) senior leaders in schools have reported offering food to some pupils – through food parcels, food banks, food vouchers and subsidised breakfasts, according to a survey.
The majority of senior leaders are providing subsidies for extra-curricular activities for some pupils (over 90%) and additional support for some children for uniforms and clothing (over 87%), the survey finds.
The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) report acknowledges that most of the additional support schools are offering is not new, but it suggests schools have expanded the scale and range of support available for pupils over the last year “in response to cost-of-living pressures”.
More than four in five (over 84%) senior leaders reported that cost-of-living pressures have increased both the numbers of pupils requiring additional support and the level of need.
The survey, of 1,354 senior leaders and 1,317 teachers in state mainstream primary and secondary schools in England in April and May, suggests that cost-of-living pressures have exacerbated mental health needs among pupils.
