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A London school has been criticised for putting children in ‘lunch isolation’ if their parents fall behind on school meals payments.

Michaela Community School in Wembley sent a letter to a parent informing them that their child will sit in insolation with a sandwich and a piece of fruit instead of a hot meal and dessert in the school’s canteen, if they didn’t make the payment.

Linda Cregan, CEO of Children’s Food Trust, has criticised the school’s decision. She said: “Children themselves tell us that how they feel about lunchtime can make or break their entire day at school. Being able to enjoy good food around a table with their friends, without having to rush, is the experience we want for every child.

“From children’s very first tastes of solid food, the advice to parents is never to use food or mealtimes as a punishment and this should apply at school as well. Forcing a child to eat a different menu, away from their peers for reasons beyond their control is completely unacceptable.

“It’s good practice for schools to offer the most flexible payment system they can for school meals – giving parents lots of ways to pay, and different timescale options depending on what they can afford. Some families simply can’t stretch to paying for a whole month’s meals at once, so offering a daily or weekly option for paying will help.

“This is also about communicating well with parents – making every effort to keep them informed about how to pay, when to pay and what to do if they’re struggling. If parents are in debt, it’s important to explain to them very clearly about how this affects the school’s budget, and to work with them to plan how they’ll get back on track.

“Finally, this is another reminder of the importance of keeping good school meals affordable for everyone.”