THOUSANDS of students in Bolton are missing out on free meals because they are studying in a college environment and not a school sixth form.
The Association of Colleges’ ‘No Free Lunch?’ campaign highlights that 16 to 18-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds who study at a Further Education or Sixth Form College do not receive free meals at lunchtime, whereas their counterparts in school sixth forms do. New institutions such as academies, free schools and university technical colleges will also be funded to provide free meals.
As a result, about 1,300 students at Bolton College and 1,272 students at Bolton Sixth Form College are missing out on free meals every year.
Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi is backing the campaign and will meet students in Bolton who, if they studied in a school sixth form, would be entitled to free meals.
She said: “It is not fair you can’t get free schools meals if you study at a college from the age of 16 to 18, but can if you study at a school sixth form. Eligibility for free meals should be based on need, not on where you choose to study.
“I’m supporting the ‘No Free Lunch?’ campaign and I’ll be pressing Ministers to look again at how it can be funded.
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