Schoolboy 'humiliated' after being refused lunch in middle of heatwave

A schoolboy was left 'humiliated' after he allegedly wasn't given food and drink at school during the heatwave because he had no money. However, according to his parents, the year 7 pupil did have enough money but was unable to pay due to a glitch.

Eleven-year-old Sam, whose parents have asked for his surname to not be published, went without lunch at St Illtyds Catholic High School in Wales on Thursday (September 7).

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Parents Ben and Anna say Sam ordered a slice of pizza and apple juice at the canteen which totalled to around £3.50 - but was refused his lunch.

The school uses a cashless till system which lets parents send money into an online account and his parents say they had given their son £20 in his first week of school.

Ben and Anna say Sam was left "very upset" and "hungry and thirsty in extremely hot weather conditions".

As reported in Wales Online Ben and Anna spoke with teaching staff later that day at the school gates, and say they were told he was refused a meal because "lots of parents run up significant debts", and if Sam spoke to a member of staff he would have been authorised food and drink.

They shared an email sent from the school at around 12pm on Thursday, saying "a number of parents" have had issues topping up funds due to a "technical issue" with the system but it had since been resolved.

The parents say there was actually £20 on Sam's account, but this was registered as 'parent balance', because they didn't have the option to top up his food money due to the glitch.

In a letter of complaint to the school they wrote: "Our son was left feeling humiliated, hungry and thirsty in extremely hot weather