The Government recently announced an initiative to pilot an extension of Free School Meal (FSM) entitlement in three local authorities (LAs) in England. For two years from September 2009, two areas (County Durham and Newham) will offer free school meals to all primary school children, while in the third area (Wolverhampton), the income threshold for entitlement to FSM will be raised for primary and secondary school children.

IFS, in partnership with the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), have been commissioned to evaluate the impact of the FSM pilots on a range of outcomes, including take-up of school meals, eating patterns and diets at school and at home, body mass index, behaviour and concentration, attainment, and authorised and unauthorised absences from school.

The evaluation will make use of a difference-in-differences methodology, comparing the change in outcomes between June 2009 (before the FSM pilots) and June 2011 (after the FSM pilots) amongst students in County Durham, Newham and Wolverhampton, with the change in outcomes over the same period amongst students in areas that continue to follow the standard FSM entitlement rules.

The study will involve a longitudinal survey of parents and pupils, plus analysis of administrative data. NatCen will also carry out a programme of qualitative research.

More information about the FSM pilots can be found here.