"We don't do school meals well at secondary level" Peter Lee, Headteachers, Q3 Academy Langley.

'Free School Meals (FSM)' is a stigmatised label. In the past, it was pink FSM tickets that made low income students stand out. Now, it's cash machines with biometrics that flash up "Free School Meal" on the screen as students collect their food. It's traumatic for the students to say the least.

As a result, up to 50% of FSM students don't take up their meal offer. This a huge waste of a valuable resource. But more importantly students are not eating. They are going hungry. They cannot learn.

Added to that, lunch time has become a hot spot for poor behaviour. Schools have reduced their lunch time from over an hour to 30 minutes in some cases. Simply to reduce the risk of behaviour incidents and decrease the demand on staff dealing with the fall out.

But now there is barely time to eat let alone play and socialise with your friends.

How can we increase the uptake of Free School Meals by students who are entitled to them?

How do we give students the time they need to eat and play within the limited time you have in the day, without risking poor behaviour?

How can we create moments of community and improve relationships - at all levels - that deliver benefits far greater than the costs of funding day to day operations?

At Q3 Academy Langley they run Family Lunch.

Increased the amount of time students have to eat without risking poor behaviour

Removed the all too familiar post lunch spike in negative behaviour incidents

Increased staff presence on duty without eroding good will

Spent zero on day to day supply which has saved huge sums that can be invested elsewhere

Support both staff and students through the cost of living crisis

Created a sense of community that improves their culture to a point they are one of the highest performing schools in the country.

How they do it looking at the research they did and the practical considerations such as...

ordering, queuing, supervision, payments, costs, allergens and technology

the lessons they've learned along the way

In 2023 - P8 +0.82was and P8 for disadvantaged was +0.71.

In 2022 they were one of the top 88 schools nationally for P8 for disadvantaged pupils.

Headteachers who are looking to create a shift in student culture that can unlock the next level of outcomes within limited funding constraints.

Senior leaders, with oversight of staff duties, student behaviour, inclusion and pupil premium. You are worried some FSM students are being victimised and are not eating. You want student relationships to be better and poor behaviour at lunch to have less of an effect.

School business managers who want to better understand the operational and financial demands of running such an initiative.

This session is available to all live for free.

The recording and resources will only be available on demand to members of the Pastoral Champions Community

Creating community culture with Family Lunch