PARENTS of children at a school in York have hit out at the meal system - claiming pupils have been "refused" food.

Some parents of pupils at Fulford School said their children were turned away from lunchtime meals by the caterers at the school due to a lack of cash on the digital payment system.

In some cases, they claimed, this led to the children not eating until they got home after the school day.

But school head teacher Steve Lewis told The Press that a process was in place to remind parents who owed money on the digital accounts, and "there should never be a situation" where a child went without food.

Parents and guardians of Fulford pupils must add funds to their child's payment account using the digital system, as this is the method of payment the school now uses for meals.

One parent, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "I find this appalling. A number of Year 7 students were left all day without food as their parents were still getting to grips with the payment system.

"They only found out when their children returned home from school that they had not eaten.

"Children are going hungry in school and are being humiliated in front of others when they turn up at the tills with trays of food."

The parents are calling on the school to allow a "debt" to accumulate, which they say school staff could then pursue through the appropriate channels.

"The children should not have to suffer and should be able to eat a meal whilst they are within the school's care," one parent added.

Steve Lewis, head teacher at Fulford School, said the school had sent letters to parents in support of the caterers who were managing a growing deficit in meal accounts.

Mr Lewis said: "If an account is in deficit, catering staff remind students.

"If the deficit is large, the catering company will inform a member of school staff who will in turn contact parents to see how we can support.

"There should never be a situation where any child in school does not have access to food during the school day.

"The school has received no contact from parents or carers following the letter and would encourage parents and carers to contact the school in the first instance.

"I am sorry if the first letter has brought our commitment to feed children into doubt. This is not the case.

"The school will write to parents and carers to clarify our approach."

The parents said that the 'no mobile phone' policy at the school left the children unable to contact their parents after they were not served food.

One parent said that their child was lending money to their friends for a school meal as they didn't have enough funds to buy their own.

"It's outrageous, no child should go without food. A repayment plan is all it would take," another parent said.