Cost of school meals

Summary

The requester asked for the average cost per child per day for primary school meals in the Isle of Man for the 2024/25 school year and the period from September 2025 to the most recent records. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture confirmed that all information was sent, providing provisional cost data for the specified periods while noting caveats regarding incomplete financial records and variable school days.

Key Facts

• The 2025/26 financial records are provisional due to outstanding invoices and the period not being concluded.
• The 2025/26 data covers only 58 school days compared to the typical 188 days in a full academic year.
• Schools closed on 24 January 2025 due to Storm Eowyn, affecting the 2024/25 school year data.
• Meal cost figures include all operational costs such as staff, food, equipment purchase, and repairs.
• Total meal numbers exclude contingency meals prepared for dropped plates or spills and unlogged meals.

Data Disclosed

• September 2024 – July 2025
• September 2025 – November 2025
• 58 school days
• 188 days
• 24 January 2025
• £4.37
• 2022/23
• 6%
• £2.55
• £4.54
• 2023

Original Request

Please can you tell me what the average cost to the department per child (who ate school meals on the day) per day of the school meals in primary schools for the period from start of school term in September to most recent records available and what the equivalent average cost per child per day was for the whole of the 2024/25 school year?