Responding to the Child Poverty Action Group's new findings about the cost to parents of sending their children to school, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Children who arrive at school hungry, cold or tired cannot focus properly on their learning and our members are increasingly having to go above and beyond to help struggling families by providing basic necessities. But this isn’t sustainable, especially as school budgets are also under considerable pressure.

“The government needs to do far more to break down the barriers to children’s learning caused by poverty, which are now affecting many more families due to the cost-of-living crisis.

"Targeted measures like extending free school meals to all pupils in households in receipt of universal credit would make a real difference, but the government also needs to provide more support for families beyond the school gates and address the root causes of shameful levels of child poverty.”