High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Thursday, September 22, 2011
School Nutrition
School meals (free or purchased)
Of those pupils present on the survey day, 48 per cent took a meal supplied by the school, compared to 46 per cent in 2010.
Almost fifty two per cent of the pupils who were present on the survey day took a meal in primary schools, an increase from 50.4 per cent in 2010 and the highest rate recorded over the last ten years.
Free school meals
In 2011, across all sectors, 131,254 (19.7 per cent of the total school roll) were registered for free school meals - an increase of 12,291 (10.3 per cent) on the previous year.
Of those registered and present, 82.3 per cent took a free school meal on the survey day, up from 81.5 per cent in 2010.
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All authorities are included. A trial took place in 2008, providing free school meals to all pupils in P1- P3. This affects the comparability of school meal uptake in the period 2007-2009.
In August 2010, local initiatives at local authority level increased eligibility for free school meals.
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