Free School Meals: Chelmsford

Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children received free school meals in West Chelmsford constituency in (a) 1997 and (b) each of the last five years. (254715)

The requested information is shown in the table, together with the numbers of children eligible for free school meals. The numbers receiving free school meals on census day are regarded as less reliable than the numbers eligible.

*Maintained nursery and primary schools, state-funded secondary schools: school meal arrangements—Position in January each year 1997 and 2004 to 2008, West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency*
	Maintained nursery and primary schools¹
	Number on roll³	Number of pupils taking free school means	Percentage taking free school meals	Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals	Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals
1997	8,851	806	9.1	1,007	11.4
2004	8,295	609	7.3	777	9.4
2005	8,255	605	7.3	745	9.0
2006	8,158	624	7.6	707	8.7
2007	8,116	630	7.8	690	8.5
2008	8,146	621	7.6	677	8.3

*State-funded secondary schools*^1,2
	Number on roll³	Number of pupils taking free school means	Percentage taking free school meals	Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals	Percentage known to be eligible for free school meals
1997	8,239	415	5.0	551	6.7
2004	8,818	356	4.0	458	5.2
2005	8,745	364	4.2	468	5.4
2006	8,777	418	4.8	549	6.3
2007	8,678	413	4.8	501	5.8
2008	8,533	349	4.1	446	5.2
¹ Includes middle schools as deemed. ² Includes city technology colleges and academies. ³ Includes dually registered pupils, excludes boarding pupils. Source: Schools Census

Volume 487: debated on Monday 9 February 2009