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5.
Owing to early blackout and frequent "alerts" the period of school
attendance was reduced to one session a day from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.
Some of the children who were having school meals had to go to a neighbouring
school for this purpose at the end of the school session. Owing,
unfortunately, to the frequent and sustained "alerts" children were often
in their air raid shelters at 1.30 p.m., and the feeding scheme had to be
redrafted so that meals could be provided and served at all the schools.
Meals were often taken in the shelters themselves.
On December 17th, 1940, an Enlarged Scheme for the provision of
meals was introduced, open to all children whether necessitous or not,
on a sliding scale of income. The maximum charge per meal was 4d., the
cost of the food only, and meals were also provided at part cost or
free according to income.
The number of children partaking cf school meals rose considerably,
On the first day of the new scheme, 1228 had school meals, and a fortnight
later this number was increased to 1862, i.e., by 56%. As will
be seen from the table given below, by far the majority of children paid
for their meals, whereas previously nearly all the meals provided were
given free. The explanation of this is threefold:-
1. The evacuation of children who had previously
had free meals.
2. The introduction of a sliding scale of payment
for meals for all children whether necessitous
or not.
3. An increase in remunerative employment in the
district, so that fewer children came within
the 'free' portion of the scale.
The number of school meals taken has continued to Increase during 1941.
(See table below)

* Commencement of Enlarged Scheme