AQW 4509/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education (i) to detail the number of school pupils in receipt of free school meals in each of the last five years; (ii) what this number represents as a percentage of all school pupils; and (iii) for her assessment of any change in these figures.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 12 October 2022
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 12 October 2022
- Answer due by
- 27 October 2022
- Answered
- 27 October 202215 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The table below shows the (i) number and (ii) percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals attending all schools in Northern Ireland. The figures show a broadly consistent pattern over the five year period despite the disruption to education caused by the pandemic during this time.
The number and percentage of pupil entitled to free school meals 2017/18 to 2021/22
| Academic Year | (i) Number of pupils | (ii) Percentage of pupils |
| 2021/22 | 98,804 | 28.5% |
| 2020/21 | 97,592 | 28.3% |
| 2019/20 | 96,697 | 28.4% |
| 2018/19 | 99,165 | 29.3% |
| 2017/18 | 100,275 | 29.9% |
Source: Annual School Census