The finding has come from a survey of members by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) and the union is now to commission research into the scale of child hunger in the UK and its effects on learning.
It came as ATL members debated a motion on child hunger at the union’s annual conference in Liverpool over Easter. The motion raised particular concern about the effect of poverty and hunger during the summer holidays, which can result in a drop-off in attainment.
The ATL survey found that 26 per cent of the school staff thought their pupils suffered from hunger during the long summer break, while 38 per cent said they suffered from physical health issues.
As such, the conference motion, which was approved by delegates, urged the government to develop policies to encourage and support holiday provision programmes that include meals and enrichment activities.
The survey also found that many pupils are forced to rely on cheap food, which often lacks the nutrition they need.
One secondary school teacher from Kent told researchers: “I have noticed that pupils get things that are cheap from the local shop, such as a large, sharing size packet of crisps which could be lunch for the day.
“There is enough there to fill them up but it does not provide them with a balanced diet. It is clear in lessons when pupils have skipped lunch and I often hear pupils complaining they are hungry. I especially notice that pupils say they are hungry just before break time, usually meaning that they have not had breakfast that morning.”
Of those staff who are aware of a pupil coming to school hungry, and with no money to buy lunch, 15 per cent said they bring in food for the pupil and 15 per cent offer to buy them food themselves.
The survey also found that 52 per cent believe they have pupils in their school who should receive free school meals but aren’t entitled to them because they are from a low-income working family and are just above the income threshold for eligibility. Four in 10 of the respondents said that they believed families at their school were having to rely on food banks.