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Funding for schools, breakfast clubs and free school meals to tackle child poverty.

Children and families across Scotland will benefit from the Scottish Government’s sustained investment in Education and Skills as part of the national mission to eradicate child poverty.

The proposed Scottish Budget for 2026-27 commits up to £200 million to the Scottish Attainment Challenge, which has already delivered sustained progress in closing the poverty-related attainment gap. This includes Pupil Equity Funding that aims to empower headteachers to tailor support to meet the specific needs of pupils and families in their communities.

An additional £15 million will ensure that all primary school children are able to access a free breakfast club by August 2027, while free school meals are being expanded to a further 5,500 pupils for 2026-27.

Speaking ahead of a visit to see the breakfast club offer at Downfield Primary School in Dundee, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said:

"The Scottish Government’s budget plans reflect our unwavering commitment to giving every child in Scotland the best possible start in life, regardless of their background.

“Scotland’s schools are delivering literacy and numeracy attainment at the highest levels on record, with sustained progress in narrowing the poverty-related attainment gap through the Scottish Attainment Challenge. Our continuing investment of up to £200 million will build on these gains, with Pupil Equity Funding continuing to give headteachers the flexibility to respond to the specific needs of their communities.

"We know that children cannot learn if they are hungry or worried about what is happening at home. Our investment in free breakfast clubs and the expanded the rollout of free school meals to more children will help to address food insecurity and help to ease pressure on family budgets at a time when it is needed most

“These measures are central to our national mission to tackle child poverty and ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive.”

Background

The latest published figures show that attainment levels are at record highs and the poverty-related attainment gap is at a record low in literacy and numeracy.

More than two-thirds of those eligible (67.7%) for free school meals were able to benefit from a balanced and nutritious meal as part of their school day in 2023-24. This is up by over three percentage points on the previous year, the latest figures demonstrate.