Lynne Neagle MS, Cabinet Secretary for Education
Today an interim evaluation report of Universal Primary Free School Meals (UPFSM) has been published.
UPFSM is a flagship policy for the Welsh Government, demonstrating our firm commitment to tackling child poverty and hunger, reducing health inequalities, putting money back in families’ pockets, and helping children be ready to learn in school. Local authorities achieved full rollout in September 2024 and have so far delivered over 61 million meals to children across Wales—an extraordinary national achievement.
To ensure the offer is the very best it can be, in December, I updated the Healthy Eating in Schools Regulations in maintained nursery and primary schools – these will come into force in October this year. I also announced an uplift to the unit rate paid per meal, safeguarding its delivery in the face of rising costs. However, work continues to drive improvement.
It is crucial that we continue to learn lessons, understand emerging impacts and identify opportunities for improvement. That is why we commissioned an independent evaluation of the UPFSM policy, involving local authorities, schools, catering staff, parents, and learners.
The interim report published today is the first of a series over a three-year period. It presents the early findings from the first year of the evaluation, focusing on the process taken to implement the policy and any emerging outcomes and impacts.
The report shows that, through the dedication of schools, catering teams and local authorities, UPFSM is achieving its core aims of increasing access to school meals, reducing stigma and supporting families. The evaluation highlights steadily rising take‑up, effective procurement and supply chain arrangements, and positive indications for children’s health, wellbeing and eating habits, particularly during continued cost‑of‑living pressures.
The report sets out a number of initial recommendations aimed at increasing uptake, strengthening the use of local produce, enhancing the lunchtime experience, and improving the level of provision within secondary schools. These recommendations span a range of partners across the system, and we will work closely with them to consider the findings, helping guide the decisions of a future government.
UPFSM remains a long-term investment in children’s health and in tackling child poverty in Wales. The Welsh Government will continue working closely with partners as the evaluation moves into Years 2 and 3, building on the strong progress already made to ensure the programme continues to benefit learners and families across Wales.