New figures reveal a significant decline in the number of primary school pupils taking school meals between January and October 2025.
Data released by the DESC shows approximate lunch numbers for 31 primary schools since new school meals were introduced.
At Ballacottier, school meals fell from 96 in January to 68 in October. Similarly, Bunscoill Rhumsaa saw a drop from 251 to 203, and Peel Clothworkers’ numbers fell sharply from 251 to 184.
At Onchan Primary, packed lunches rose from 115 in January to 181 in October while at Laxey School, the figure jumped from 66 to 120.
Mrs Caine, explained that “reception children do not typically have lunch at school during the first week of the academic year” and that this was reflected in the September 2025 figures.
Approximation
The minister cautioned that the data is approximate, citing varying recording methods across schools.
She said: “Primary schools log packed lunch numbers in a variety of ways,” and that “school meal figures fluctuate throughout a school year, for a variety of reasons”.
The department has acknowledged ongoing challenges with data accuracy, saying that “work is ongoing to improve accuracy.”
Factors such as absences, meal change policies, seasonal weather and the use of ParentPay were also cited as reasons for the fluctuations in the reported numbers.