Schools Minister David Laws will be in Newham tomorrow to visit a primary school where 60 per cent of the children have free school meals.

He will be joining the youngsters at Tollgate Primary in Plaistow at lunchtime and will be discussing school food with them.

The school was chosen for the visit because the education department was impressed with its key stage two results, at 90 per cent, which have also increased year on year.

The school also has 60 per cent of pupils taking up free schools which will be available to all children in the first three years of primary school from September 1 this year.

A spokeswoman for the education department said: “Positive eating habits help improve concentration and performance in the classroom so these new school food standards will continue to restrict unhealthy foods to ensure our children eat well.

“The evidence is overwhelming that we’ve got far too many kids, who are poor, but not receiving free school meals, who are not getting a good meal at lunchtime and are failing to concentrate in the afternoon. Their education is suffering, and their health is suffering as well, and they are often then on the early steps towards obesity.”