A survey of members by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers found that more than a third of education staff believe the early intervention grant should be ring-fenced to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Fifty per cent said the number of children able to claim free school meals should be extended. The survey, released for the union's annual conference in Liverpool on 18-20 April, found that nearly 80 per cent of education staff said there were pupils living in poverty at their school or college.
