In 1906, Parliament was successfully persuaded that hungry children had trouble learning, and the Provision of School Meals Act came into force, permitting local authorities to provide school meals. By 1939, less than 50 per cent of local authorities were providing this service for which families paid 2d (1p) for a meal unless entitled to free lunches. For many years teachers were required as part of their duties to supervise children at lunchtime. In 1968, following a long struggle, teachers won the right to have their own lunchtime break, although many continued to supervise lunchtime on a voluntary basis in return for a free school meal. Lunchtime supervisors were employed by schools prior to 1968, although their numbers and importance increased dramatically over the next few decades. The workforce remodelling agreement of 2003 aimed to free up teachers’ time by employing and developing a vastly increased number of support staff. Schools now have the option of flexibly using a range of support staff to supervise the lunchtime period. Lunchtime supervision in schools remains a subject of increasing importance. The

original Handbook for Lunchtime Supervisors and their Managers was published in March 2006 and explored a range of relevant topics. This revised edition includes the exploration of three further developments:

1 The Every Child Matters agenda impacts upon every aspect of school life, and the lunchtime supervisor plays a fundamental role in helping children achieve the five outcomes.