Free school meals for infants: are schools ready?

Scheme will create a 'level playing field' among pupils, but others argue the money could have been better spent

Kids take their school meals
(Image credit: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images)

Two million children between the ages of four and seven will be provided with free school meals from today, as part of a key initiative put forward by the Lib Dems.

The scheme is being implemented across 16,500 schools in England and ministers insist the move will save parents money, improve pupils' performance and encourage healthier eating. However, there are fears that many schools are underfunded and unprepared to deliver on the coalition's promise.

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