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Primary pupils are to be offered free school meals in a pilot scheme intended to improve behaviour, cut obesity and promote healthy eating.

Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, announced the plan yesterday at the Labour Party conference as part of an ambitious package of school reforms. These include proposals to protect children from bullies and to strengthen parents’ rights to make complaints.

Meals will be free for all primary pupils in two areas of England. In a third the criteria for provision of free school meals will be extended to include more children.

Mr Balls said the trial would investigate whether free meals would raise academic and behavioural standards as well as improve health and encourage healthy eating at home. “We want to make sure that children, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds who need it most, are getting a free hot meal every school day,” he said.

Councils will be invited to bid to become involved in the £40 million pilot scheme, the cost of which will be shared between central and local government. Mr Balls also announced a consultation on the creation of independent panels of volunteers to handle parents’ complaints about a pupil’s education or treatment.

Schools will also be compelled to keep accurate records of all bullying and to ensure that they meet their duty to limit teachers’ workloads Christine Blower, acting general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said of the proposed complaints panels: “There are already procedures in place through Ofsted and via governing bodies and local authorities. New procedures would not be helpful.”

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