TEACHERS have reported a surge in problems associated with family poverty, undermining efforts to close the attainment gap between rich and poor pupils in Scotland.

The EIS child poverty survey for 2016 reported a significant rise in pupils coming to school without adequate food, stationery, gym kit or the right clothes for the weather.

Just over half of teachers said they or colleagues had personally intervened by organising foodbank donations, buying food and clothing, and paying for school trips.

There was also a reported increase in pupils with poverty-related mental and physical ill health, more absences from school and more problems concentrating on lessons.

Conducted by Scotland’s largest teaching union, the survey was completed by 288 teachers on a self-selecting basis between October and December last year.

SNP ministers estimate a quarter of Scotland’s children, some 260,000, live in relative poverty, defined as household income below 60 per cent of the median after housing costs.

Nicola Sturgeon has made closing the attainment gap her top priority, however the EIS said poverty exacerbated by austerity and welfare cuts was a growing obstacle.

Three-fifths of survey respondents reported a rise last year in pupils affected by poverty, with 53 per cent reporting more with little or no food, snacks or lunch money, and 72 per cent a rise in those lacking basic stationery, school-bags and PE kit.

Almost half of teachers said more pupils were unable to do homework requiring home internet access, 77 per cent saw more poverty-related mental ill-health, and 56 per cent a rise more physical problems such as headaches, lethargy and poor pallor.

One teacher reported a rise in “visibly dirty” pupils because of a lack of hot water at home, something which made them “prime targets for bullying”.

There were also reports of more children wearing old clothes and tight shoes and not being able to afford £1 to take part in dress-down days or go on school trips.

Many teachers cited parental benefit sanctions as a factor.

Andrea Bradley, EIS assistant secretary for education and equality, called it "an outrage".

She said: "Urgent action at all levels of government is essential to prevent further damage. Children's education and life chances cannot be sacrificed in the name of austerity."

She said the Scottish Government’s extra £120m a year to close the attainment gap was welcome, but it came after “years of under-funding of comprehensive education”.

SNP plans to reform school governance also left bigger questions about the policies and cash needed to close the attainment gap “unanswered”, she said.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan added: "These results, which make for shocking reading, highlight the crucial influence of family income on children’s engagement and participation in school, and the extent to which children can thrive on the opportunities offered by education. The EIS believes that education can make a difference to the life chances of young people affected by poverty, but schools need to be properly resourced.”

Labour MSP Monica Lennon said the survey highlighted the “the indignity of child poverty”.

She said: “Over the summer, SNP ministers should be using all the powers available to them to ensure children and young people can return to school with enough food in their bellies, the clothing and equipment to take part in lessons, and enough teachers and support staff.

“The austerity agenda driven by the Tories may have caused a lot of these problems but SNP cuts are ripping support out of schools.”

Green MSP Alison Johnstone said the survey underlined the need to tackle the root causes of poverty, and said it was “appalling” pupils were unfed and lacked basic equipment.

She urged SNP ministers to use new welfare powers to top up child benefit by £5 a week to lift 30,000 children out of poverty.

She said: “The Scottish Government’s school governance reforms are a distraction from the real issue of lack of staff and resources, and that’s why we negotiated an extra £160m for councils to invest in local services this year. My amendments to the Child Poverty Bill will force the Scottish Government to say whether it will use new powers to boost incomes.”

The SNP government said the report highlighted the "devastating impact of the UK Government's policy of continued austerity".

A spokeswoman said: "We are mitigating the effect of welfare cuts wherever we can, help that over £350m in welfare mitigation.

"The new Child Poverty Bill will see Scotland become the only part of the UK to propose statutory targets in a bid to reduce the number of children experiencing the damaging effects of poverty by 2030."