Nearly 800 children from the poorest families in Oxfordshire are missing out on free school meals, according to Government figures.

A snapshot survey by the Department for Education revealed that while 2,869 (7.6 per cent) of secondary school pupils in the county were eligible for free schools meals, only 2,084 (5.5 per cent) took them up.

The provisional figures for 2006 were released to MPs by schools minister Jim Knight.

For many children, school dinners represent their only opportunity of a balanced hot main meal.

To qualify, parents must be receiving benefits, such as Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance, or be getting support from the National Asylum Support Services.

The child must also attend a council school or nursery on a full-time basis. Some eligible families in more affluent families may be reluctant to accept the free school meals because of the stigma of receiving benefits.

Nationally, it is estimated that one in five pupils entitled to free school meals fails to take up the offer.