SCHOOLS in Inverclyde are to net an extra £3 million to help plug the poverty-related attainment gap.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney made the announcement yesterday during a visit to Newark Primary in Port Glasgow.

Mr Swinney, who is also cabinet secretary for education and skills, attended the school’s free family lunch club, which is one of the initiatives to benefit from Scottish Attainment Challenge funding.

The classes are run by Inverclyde Council at seven early years centres across Greenock and Port Glasgow.

Mr Swinney said: “During my visit to Newark Primary school I was able to see first-hand the very real benefit this funding is having on children and young people, their families and the wider community.

“Today’s announcement ensures local authorities and individual schools where the need is greatest have substantial additional funding for the coming year to tailor their plans based on their own circumstances.”

Last year over 150 local families attended the Inverclyde lunch clubs.

The pilot project was so successful that the council has more than doubled provision for this summer.

Clubs are open to all families with children in pre-school up to primary three and their siblings.

As well as enjoying free, healthy food, the adults and young people also learn how to make dishes and enjoy a range of activities, including reading, arts and crafts and outdoor games.

Council leader Stephen McCabe said: “We have been able to more than double the provision of lunch clubs across Inverclyde this summer and hundreds of families have been enjoying the range of activities and lunches on offer.

“We recognise that key to closing the attainment gap is the involvement of parents and families in a child’s education — from attending parents’ evenings, parent councils and home learning — so that teaching in the classroom can be supported in the home.

“Families spending time together over the summer in a fun, relaxed and informal setting is a great way to start that process and also an opportunity for us to let people know about other resources and added support we have available to them.

“Inverclyde is performing very well when it comes to education and our £270 million investment in new and refurbished schools alongside the excellent work being undertaken as part of the Scottish Attainment Challenge to reduce the attainment gap linked to deprivation is playing a major part in that success.”