Professor Derek Colquhoun from the University of Hull has carried out an evaluation of a 3-year free school meals project in Hull in which all primary pupils were able to have free meals - before the project was scrapped on grounds of cost.

However, Professor Colquhoun claims the Hull experiment was a clear success, and that it was a "tragedy" that it had not been extended.

The Eat Well, Do Well project ran from spring 2004 to summer 2007, and provided free healthy breakfasts, lunches and after-school meals for all primary pupils in Hull, without any means testing. The idea was to see whether providing healthy meals without charge would have an impact on pupils' health and readiness to learn. Professor Colquhoun's interim report concludes that there was a "significant impact across the city" - with calmer classrooms and children who were more aware of healthy eating.

The findings were based on interviews with head teachers in the city - who reported improvements in behaviour.

The professor also noted that pupils were less likely to complain of being hungry in the afternoon - and that pupils in the city who had been eligible for free school meals were on average 3.8cm shorter than those who did not qualify for free school meals.

Take-up of the free school meals had risen to 65%, with most of the remainder bringing packed lunches. Professor Colquhoun's findings suggest that raising the number of people who had eaten hot, healthy meals during the day brought an overall improvement to the mood of the classroom. This included better results in the afternoon in tasks that required concentration.

"Classrooms in the city are calmer now because more children are getting a balanced meal at breakfast and lunchtime," he said. "And the free school meals project could also lead to less incidences of bullying."

A full report on the project is to be published early next year. (Source: BBC NEWS)