183.Section 35 amends sections 512ZA (power to charge for meals etc) and 533 (functions of governing bodies of maintained schools with respect to provision of school meals etc) of EA 1996.
184.Subsections (2)(a) and (3)(a) will prohibit local authorities and governing bodies of maintained schools in England from charging more than the cost of providing milk, meals or other refreshments to pupils. Currently there is no cap on how much a pupil can be charged. This change will not affect the provision of free school meals (and free milk) to eligible pupils.
185.Subsections (2)(b) and (3)(b) repeal the requirement that any charge made for the provision of “milk, meals and other refreshments” in a school must be the same for every person for the same quantity of the same item. The repeal of this requirement will, in effect, allow different prices to be charged for the same quantity of the same item.
186.This will, for example, enable local authorities and governing bodies in England to charge less for school meals provided to children in reception classes at the start of term or children of families on low incomes not eligible for free school meals, in order to encourage them to take school meals. Use of flexible charging will be optional and subject to local circumstances. This change will not affect the provision of free school meals (and free milk) to eligible pupils.