Nursery World - Teachers' poll highlights rise in child poverty

Children are arriving at school without winter coats and wearing sandals in cold weather, according to teachers polled by the National Education Union.

The snapshot poll of more than 1,000 teachers in England paints a harrowing picture of the increase in poverty seen in schools and the daily impact it is having on children and young people.

According to the findings:

Around three quarters of the 1,026 teachers, members of the NEU, who took part in the poll were secondary school teachers and a quarter were primary. The poll was carried out between 23-26 November.

Teachers gave distressing examples from their school about the effect living in poverty was having on the children and young people they teach.

Comments included that children were coming in without coats even in the coldest weather, and wearing sandals on cold days and shoes with holes in them.

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