ALMOST a quarter of pupils in Dudley are receiving free school meals as thousands more became eligible during the pandemic, figures show.

The Association of School and College Leaders said the coronavirus crisis had worsened child poverty across England, and called on the government to make solving it a top priority.

Department for Education figures show 10,897 children in Dudley were eligible for free school meals in January – 23% of all state school pupils in the area.

This was up from 19% the year before, and at the highest level since comparable figures began in 2015-16.

In Dudley, 2,504 children became eligible between March 23 2020 – when the first national lockdown began – and January, though the DfE said some may have been previously eligible at other times.

Of the children, 1,895 went to primary schools, 533 to secondary schools, 74 to special schools and two in pupil referral units.

Children are entitled to free school meals if their parent or carer is on benefits, including income support or receiving Universal Credit, with a household income of less than £7,400 a year.

The The Association Of School and College Leaders said the increase in free school meal eligibility illustrates the financial impact of the pandemic on families.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the organisation, said: “Child poverty was already a terrible blight on our society prior to coronavirus.

"The situation is now even worse, and tackling this issue simply has to be a top priority for the Government.”

Halesowen CofE Primary School – which is a mixed sex primary school in Belle Vale – had the highest proportion in the borough of children having free school meals, with 51.4% of pupils eligible.

At the other end of the scale, was Netherton Park Nursery School, with none of the children at the mixed sex nursery school in Netherton, Woodside and St Andrews receiving free school meals.

The Department for Education said it was providing a £14 billion increase in school funding over three years.

A spokeswoman added: "School leaders can target our ambitious recovery funding, worth £3 billion in total, to further support disadvantaged pupils with their attainment.”