SOARING levels of child poverty have led to nearly four in five school staff helping pupils with dinner money, sparking renewed calls by unions and charities for universal free school meals.

New research, co-ordinated by the Education Anti-Poverty Coalition and released today, also found nearly nine in 10 believed child poverty had worsened in their school over the past two years.

It is part of the first-of-its-kind study into the experiences of head teachers, senior leaders, teachers, governors, teaching support staff, administrators, catering teams and facilities managers.