Uptake of school dinners is better in Bradford than nationally and is rising at a quicker pace.

A two per cent rise was recorded at the district’s primary schools year on year, from 53 to 55 per cent, and a three per cent hike in children sitting down for school meals was registered by secondary schools, from 35 to 38 per cent.

The figures have been released by the School Food Trust, which compared uptake at schools across the country between 2008-09 and the previous academic year.

On average nationally, the proportion of children eating a school lunch in primary schools last year was 41 per cent and 36 per cent at secondaries.

Christine Haigh, of the Children’s Food Campaign, said: “We’re delighted to see more children and young people eating healthy school meals, and hope that the new coalition Government will be congratulating all the schools, caterers and health campaigners that have worked so hard to show that children will eat healthy food as long as it is tasty and affordable.

“However, we urge the Government to re-instate the planned extension of free school eligibility to primary school children from low-income working families.”

Councillor Ralph Berry, Bradford Council’s executive member for children’s services and education, said: “The number of children who lost out on free school meals in Bradford was 22,000, so it shows just how much more could be done here, especially because of the high childhood obesity issue we have in Bradford.”

He did, though, welcome the increasing uptake.

“I think it’s a reflection of the effort made to promote the quality of school meals and some schools have found improvements have come with that such as better behaviour.”

Councillor Adrian Naylor, education spokesman for the Council’s Conservative group, said: “It’s positive news which shows the message is getting through that school meals offer value for money and many other benefits.”