CHILDREN who are eligible for free school meals should be automatically enrolled to narrow the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers, a headteachers’ union urged today.

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) called for a system of auto-enrolment for free school meals (FSM) to be introduced to ensure many young people do not miss out.

As part of its manifesto for the next general election, the union said the criteria for FSM eligibility should also be extended to all families in receipt of universal credit (UC).

ASCL’s report said: “The difference in attainment between richer and poorer children — and the fact that this gap is now widening — is a blight on our society.

“Any government committed to improving social equity — or ‘levelling up’ — must find ways to reverse this trend as soon as possible.”

Council leaders have suggested that more than a million additional school children could access FSMs if the sign-up process for the scheme was simplified and extended to more families.

The ASCL manifesto also called for a commitment to an annual uplift in the pay of all staff working in schools and colleges to keep up with inflation and real-terms cuts.