Post on 18-Dec-2014
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School Dinner Information From Casllwchwr Primary
This project is based on my job at Casllwchwr Primary School as I collect and collate the dinner numbers on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
Every morning I sit in the reception area so the parents can easily find me to pay their children’s dinner money for the week or day as appropriate. While doing that I generally answer any enquires regarding dinner times, dietary requirements and money arrears or credits. I collect the daily and weekly dinner money and I am responsible for banking the cheques and cash at the end of each week. I have to work out, on a PM1 form, arrears for the week and month per child, credits for the week and month per child and the amounts of paying dinners and free meals per child per week and month. I then have to transfer that information to a PM2 form which is then sent to county as required.
I also collect the dinner numbers daily to give to the cook as in our school parents can pay for weekly dinners or daily dinners depending on their preference. We find this boosts the weekly dinner numbers considerably.
The Information in the tables and graphs has been taken on week 27 of every year from the Reception class of 2007 to Year 5 in 2012. This is so that there is a consistency in the time of year as there may be a difference in uptake of school dinners depending on the time of year.
1
Names Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Adam 1 1 1 1 1
Jade 1 1 1 1 1
Paige 1 1 1 1 1
Sinead 1 1 1 1 1
Thomas 1 1 1 1 1
Total 5 5 5 5 5
School Meals for 2007 Class During Reception Year (2007)
Paying Meals (cost £1.60)
Free Meals
Names Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
CaseyCharlotte
DarcieEdanEleriEllaJamesJBKieranLucyMollyNathanReeganSamSeanSophieTotal
1 / / 1 1
/ / / / /
/ / / / /
1 / / / 1
/ / / / /
/ / / / /
1 / / / 1
1 / / / 1
/ / / / /
/ / / / 1
/ / / / /
/ / / / /
/ / / / /
/ / / / /
/ / / / /
1 1 1 1 1
5 1 1 2 6
Received Arrears Credit
/
/
22.00
4.80
/
1.60
1.60
1.60
4.80
14.40
/
1.60
8.00
1.60
1.60
/
63.6
/ /
1.60 /
/ /
/ /
3.20 /
/ 14.70
/ /
1.60 /
/ /
/ /
3.20 /
/ /
3.20 /
/ 8.20
8.20 /
/ /
21 22.9
2
These column charts show that Reception have a high uptake of dinners on a Monday, when asked, parents have said that is because they have not been shopping after a busy weekend with their children and so it is easier to make a one off payment allowing their children to have dinner in school. There is also a very high uptake of dinners on a Friday as it is “chip day”, a popular day in the weekly diary of our school!
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Total
Paying Dinners
0
1
2
3
4
5
Total
Free Meals
Monday Tuesday Wednesday ThursdayFriday
3
Received Arrears Credit
/1.708.50
/20.401.703.403.40
//////
39.1
2.70 /1.70 /3.40 /8.50 /
/ // 3.40/ /
6.00 /7.90 /9.80 /1.70 /18.50 /
/ /4.90 /
65.1 3.40
Names Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
NamesChloeDarcieEdanEleriEllaHarrietJamesJBLucyMollyNathanReeganSamSophie
/ / / / // / / 1 1/ / / / // / / / 1/ / / / // / / / /
/ / / 11 1 1 1 1/ / / / 1/ / / / 11 1 1 1 1/ / / / 1/ / / / /1 1 1 / /
3 3 3 3 8
Names Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday FridayAdam 1 1 1 1 1Casey / 1 1 1 1Jade A A A A AKieran / / / / /Lewi / / / / /Paige / 1 1 1 1Sean 1 1 1 1 1Thomas 1 1 1 1 1Total 3 5 5 5 5
Free Meals
School Meals for 2007 Class during Year 1 (2008)
Paying Meals (Cost £1.70)
4
These graphs show that by year one the children are in a routine of having dinner for the week but again, on a Friday, there is a much higher uptake of dinner due to it being “chip day”.
012345678
Total
Paying Dinners
0
1
2
3
4
5
Total
Free Meals
Monday Tuesday Wednesday ThursdayFriday
5
School Meals for 2007 Class during year 2 (2009)
Paying Meals (cost £1.90)Recieved Arrears Credit
/1.909.508.501.9010.99.50101.909.50/3.005.703.80
76.1
16.5 /4.80 /
/ 1.90/ /
3.80 /4.40 /11.5 /
/ 0.50/ /
3.20 // /
3.80 /1.90 /
/ /
49.9 2.4
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday FridayCharlotte
ChloeDarcieEdanEleriElla
FfionHarrietJames
JBLucyMolly
NathanReegan
Sam
Total
/ / / / // / / / 1/ / / / // / / / 1/ / / / 1/ / / / // / / / /1 / 1 1 1/ / / / 11 / 1 1 11 / 1 1 1/ / / / 11 / 1 1 1/ / / / 1/ / / / 1
4 0 4 4 11
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday FridayAdamCaseyJade
KieranLewiPaigeSean
SophieThomas
Total
/ / / / // / 1 / // / / / /1 1 1 1 11 / / 1 11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1/ / 1 1 15 4 6 6 6
Free Dinners
6
These graphs show that a Tuesday is not a popular day for school dinners, for paying or free meals. This is possibly because it is curry day and by Year 2 the children are usually more vocal about their likes and dislikes. It again shows however, friday is still the most popular day!
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Total
Paying Dinners
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Total
Free Meals
Monday Tuesday WednesdayThursday Friday
7
Paying Meals (Cost £1.90)Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
EllaJBJamesEdanMollyDarcieNathanEleriHarrietChloeSamLucyCharlotteFfionJoshCaseyReeganPaigeKeiranTotal
/ / / / /1 1 1 1 1/ / / / /1 / / / /1 / 1 1 11 1 1 1 1/ / / / // / / / 11 / / / /1 1 1 1 1/ / / / /1 1 1 1 1/ / / / // / / / // / 1 1 1/ / / / /1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 19 6 9 8 9
School Meals for 2007 Class During Year 3 (2010)
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Jade
Lewi
Sophie
Thomas
Total
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
4 4 4 4 4
Free Meals
Recieved Arrears Credit
///
3.8/////
1.9015.20
/11.60
/////
3.4035.9
/ // // 9.50
1.90 // /
12.90 // 9.70/ /
1.90 // /
9.50 // 0.30/ /
1.90 // /
9.50 0.200.20 /
38.00 // 5.30
75.8 25
8
In year 3 the children having free meals seem to have settled into a routine of having dinner daily. The paying meals however seem to still be more reluctant to have dinner on a Tuesday, curry day and a Thursday, roast dinner day. With the early junior years, not a popular choice though that does change later in upper juniors.
0123456789
Total
Paying Dinners
0
1
2
3
4
Total
Free Meals
Monday TuesdayWednesday ThursdayFriday
9
School Meals for 2007 Class During Year 4 (2011)
Paying Meals (Cost £1.95)
Free MealsMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Jade
Sophie
Lewi
Thomas
Kieran
Total
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
5 5 5 5 5
10
Received Arrears Credit
9.75////
10.00/
2.00///////
8.0010.00
39.75
3.50 /3.90 /
15.60 // 2.50/ 5.10
56.20 /21.25 /
/ /47.60 /68.95 /1.95 /
/ 5.85/ /
4.95 /1.85 /
19.35 /9.80 /
254.9 13.45
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
CaseyCharlotteChloeDanielDarcieEdanEllaFfionHarrietJamesJBJoshuaLucyMollyNathanPaigeReegan
Total
/ / / / 1/ / / / /1 1 1 1 1/ / / / // / 1 / 1/ / / / /1 1 1 1 11 1 1 / 1/ / / / // / / / /1 1 1 1 1/ / / / 1/ / / / 1/ / / / 1/ / / / // / / / 1/ / / / 1
4 4 5 3 11
In year 4 there is still a high uptake of free school meals daily regardless of the menu. There is still a dip in paying meals on Thursday, roast dinner day and Tuesday, curry day.
0
1
2
3
4
5
Total
Free meals
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Total
Paying Dinners
Monday Tuesday WednesdayThursday Friday
11
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Casey
Charlotte
Chloe
Daniel
Darcie
Ella
Ffion
Harriet
James
JB
Kieron
Lucy
Molly
Molly B
Nathan
Paige
Reegan
Total
1 1 1 1 1
/ / / 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 / 1
/ / / / 1
/ / / / /
/ / / / 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
/ / / / /
1 1 1 1 1
/ / 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 /
/ / / / 1
10 10 11 11 14
Free Meals
Paying Meals (Cost £1.95)Received Arrears Credit
9.75/////
2.001.95
///
4.00/
8.003.909.75
/
39.35
7.35 /31.80 /42.90 /
/ 2.303.65 /19.25 /3.60 /52.15 /
/ 4.05/ 3.00
19.40/ /
21.40/ /
19.2582.70
/ 1.95
303.45 11.3
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday FridayJadeLewiSophieThomas
Total
1 1 1 1 1/ / / / /1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1
3 3 3 3 3
School Meals for 2007 Class During Year 5 (2012)
12
By Year 5, the free meal uptake is still consistent but the paying meals have become more uniform with the exception of Friday which is “chip day”.
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Total
Paying Dinners
0
1
2
3
Total
Free Meals
Monday TuesdayWednesday ThursdayFriday
13
38%
32%
9%
6%8%
7%
Credit Arrears on week 27 each year
Reception Year 1Year 2 Year 3Year 4 Year 5
13%
14%
12%
26%
13%
22%
Money received on wk 27 each year
Reception Year 1Year 2 Year 3Year 4 Year 5 29%
4%3%
32%
17%
14%
Credits on week 27 each year
Reception Year 1Year 2 Year 3Year 4 Year 5
This first pie graph shows how much money was received during week 27 of each year. I think It shows how much better the children are at paying for their dinners when they are in the younger classes. I am unsure whether this is because parents are more careful to hand in the money when their children are young.
The second pie chart is very mixed, this shows how generally the younger classes are in credit more often but there are a few children who have paid weeks in advance in year 5.The third pie graph shows how the children are gradually getting worse at paying for dinner money during the years they are in school although a few children owe a lot more than others.
14
33%
67%
Year 3
48% 52%
Year 4
21%
79%
Year 5
15
53% 47%
Year 1
54% 46%
Year 2
63%
38%
Reception
Paying MealsFree Meals
These pie graphs show the difference in free meals and paying meals in the class of 2007. It shows how in the younger years there were children in the class who were more likely to have free meals even though they are still eligible in the later classes. Pie charts are a good way of displaying this information as they can be compared easily.
Year Paying Meals
Free Meals
Amount Received
Credit Arrears
Credit
Reception
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Total
15 25 63.60 53.00 11.30
20 23 39.10 65.10 13.45
23 27 76.10 49.90 25.00
41 20 35.90 75.80 2.40
27 25 39.75 254.90 3.40
56 15 39.35 303.45 22.90
182 135 293.8 802.15 78.45
Conclusion
The information on this table is for the same week of the year, in each school year from Reception to year 5. This shows how paying meals increased from 15 in Reception to 182 in year 5 but also shows how credit arrears increased hugely too, from £53 in Reception to £802.15 in Year 5.
The Mean, Median and Mode. The Mean for the free meals is 22.5The Median for the free meals is 23The Mode for the free meals is 25
The Median for the free meals is 23 which I think accurately shows the average amount of free meals supplied to the class of 2007/ year 5.
16
In Conclusion
As this class of 2007, the current year 5, started in Reception the uptake of the paying and free meals was very good. The parents were very careful to pay weekly and each child eligible for free meals uses this subsidy available to them.
By Year 1 arrears creeps up slightly and there is a definite increase in the amount of children having dinner on Friday with the paying children. This is an identifiable trend which continues through the school as Friday is “chip day”.
In Year 2 there are more arrears in evidence and there is a definite trend visible in the paying children’s likes and dislikes of dinner. A Tuesday is the least popular day for dinner as this is curry day, a Thursday is also unpopular as roast dinner although Friday is still the favourite as it is chip day.
In Year 3 certain children continue being in arrears. The trend in dinners continues to as they still dislike the Tuesday and Thursday dinners although not to such a large degree.
In Year 4 the trend of arrears continues for certain children but the dinners Monday to Thursday becomes consistent although Friday is still clearly the preferred day as “chip day” stays very popular.
By Year 5 the trends have remained with certain children increasing their arrears, the Fridays being the most popular day for dinner and Monday to Thursday being consistent.
It has also continued throughout the school that the children eligible for free meals has fallen, as many of these children have left Casllwchwr. This also shows a trend of those eligible having less dinners, a few children choosing to bring in sandwiches rather than free meals. There does not seem to be a reason for this as the children are not aware of who pays and who does not, so there is no opportunity for embarrassment in the class and there is always room for free choice as the school cook does give a choice of meals and a cold option of sandwiches.
17
Below is a graph supplied by Save the Children Wales which gives information on the eligibility of free school meals in Wales and the numbers receiving free meals.
Below is a graph showing the numbers of children entitled to free school meals in Wales and the number of children taking them. Also supplied by Save the Children Wales.
18
The Effect of “Free Meals Children”.
The fact that child poverty is heavily concentrated in particular schools in Wales is itself a significant factor leading to low achievement. One-third of children in Wales are affected by poverty, going without essentials or living in homes which are cold or damp. Nearly 15% live in severe poverty — the highest proportion of any UK nation, this is frequently shown by the amount of children eligible for school meals.
These considerations take us closer to the root causes of why poverty so often leads to low educational achievement. In situations where often parents have themselves experienced poverty in childhood, had a poor experience of education and consequently are limited in their ability to help their children, whilst love and care may be present their engagement in their children’s education may be hampered .
This suggests that when they arrive in secondary school it is the problems faced by students in relation to personal and social skills, rather than changes in the curriculum or styles of learning, that are the major cause of a downward spiral of achievement. It is likely that primary schools, because of their smaller size, their classroom-based organisation and the closer relationship between students and teachers provide a more effective context for understanding the problems of the individual that successfully address students’ skills and learning than large secondary schools where students will be less well known to teachers and do not receive as much individual attention. Scale and size does appear to matter. Which is why the Welsh Assembly seem to be attempting to reduce the size of primary and secondary schools.
Often disadvantaged students will find themselves in peer groups where disengagement and cynicism about school are the norm and become a ‘rite of passage’ into teenage and pre-teenage years. Although the evidence is that children from disadvantaged backgrounds have the same life and career aspirations as their more privileged peers through their primary and into their secondary years, ultimately a culture of low aspirations often caused by the poor prospects of employment and lack of role models and mentors who can point the way ahead seem to have a powerful negative effect.
Often they also face the stigma of not having enough money to meet the costs of education such as new school uniforms, trips and extra- curriculum opportunities, all of which may, therefore, be unavailable to them and increase their sense of alienation. A child in our class recently invited to a fellow pupils party instantly told me “Dad’s car will be broken that day” as he knew he would be unable to attend the party as his parents would not buy a card and present for the child. He was totally resigned to this as he had only been to one party in all of his time in school. Instead,
19
The Free Meals Effect on Children
he cherished the invite, putting up on his bedroom wall, as a sign of inclusion in the class.
The enrichment that advantaged students gain from strong parental involvement and encouragement, frequent opportunities for informal and non- formal learning such as trips and holidays as well as additional tutoring, are all denied to children in poverty. This is often why the children of more advantaged families maximize their potential and why that of children from poor backgrounds is often unfulfilled, thereby repeating a cycle of inter- generational disadvantage and poverty.
20
‘Children living in deprived communities face a cultural barrier which in many ways is bigger than material poverty. It is the cultural barrier of low aspirations and scepticism about education which is seen to be for other people’(DCSf, 2008, p.27).