The number of pupils eligible for free school meals has risen dramatically, figures from the Department for Children, Schools and Families reveal.
The 2010 School Census shows the number of nursery and primary school children eligible for free meals rose from 16 per cent in 2009 to 17.3 per cent in 2010. Children are eligible for free school meals if they live in a household with total income of less than £16,000 a year.