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Nearly three million free school meals have been served in primary schools across Caerphilly County Borough over the last three years.

The Welsh Government’s universal free school meal rollout began in 2022, and came as part of the since-collapsed co-operation agreement between the Labour-run government and Plaid Cymru.

Across Wales, more than 50 million free meals have been dished out since then – with 2.8 million of these in Caerphilly County Borough.

The full rollout was completed last summer, when all primary school pupils in Wales became eligible for a daily free school meal during term time. In Caerphilly, the rollout was completed at the start of the 2023/24 academic year – a year ahead of schedule.

First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “Free school meals are about more than just the food on the plate. Investing in the wellbeing of our primary school children and improving their concentration is vital in enabling them to achieve their full potential.  

“We know that children learn better and concentrate more when they have full tummies, so I am proud that we are ensuring no child feels hungry during the school day.”  

Wales’ education secretary, Lynne Neagle, hailed the “remarkable milestone” of 50 million meals, and said: “This is a ground-breaking achievement and a significant feat in tackling child poverty across our communities. 

“Every child in Wales deserves access to healthy food, which is why we are now taking further steps, reviewing responses to our consultation which will help more children get their five-a-day and make school menus healthier.” 

A Welsh Government consultation is currently underway, reviewing the regulations setting out the types of food and drink that can be provided during the school day.