A BRADFORD academy trust revealed how the cost-of-living crisis is impacting families within its network of schools.

It came as it told parents and carers it would need to increase the price of a school meal from September – and the prices will need to be reviewed again in January.

A letter from Duncan Jacques, chief executive of the Trust, said: “We know that many families within our school community are struggling with the rising costs of living, especially the increased cost of fuel and food, the continued financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and the removal of the Universal Credit uplift.

“Over the last number of years school budgets have also incurred greater costs in relation to staffing, purchasing of school resources, and rising food costs.

“As a trust, we understand the importance of a healthy, balanced school meal and we are dedicated to ensuring the quality of the food provided to our pupils remains high.

“To help our families we have heavily subsided the rising costs associated with providing a school meal which has enabled us to keep school meal prices low.

“This has been in the region of a 20 per cent subsidy per meal.

“Most of the Exceed school meal prices are well below what other Bradford schools are charging.

“Unfortunately, from September 2022 we have no option but to increase the price of a school meal. At this stage, the increase is still below the current cost of inflation and rising food costs that we pay our suppliers.”

He added: “However, as the current cost of rising food and inflation continues, I wanted to highlight now that it is likely that we will need to review these prices again in January 2023.”

Mr Jacques urged families to contact their relevant school office if their circumstances have changed and they would like to check if their child now qualifies for free school meals.

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