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<p>It is important that all pupils have access to healthy and nutritious meals at
school and we would encourage all eligible children and parents to claim their free
meals.</p><p> </p><p>Free school meals (FSM) are intended as a benefit in kind, rather
than a cash benefit, and our primary interest is that schools meet their legal duties
to provide nutritious free lunches to eligible children.</p><p> </p><p>We trust school
leaders to make the best decisions in the interests of their pupils and it is right
that they have flexibility around how they deliver FSM. We know that some schools
will allow pupils to carry over their benefit, however we would not want to instruct
schools to follow any specific approach nationally. We will consider how we can share
the very best practice around the delivery of FSM.</p><p> </p>
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