I've gone to school hungry. This is what it's really like

That is the equivalent of almost every primary school pupil in the country, and a horrendous statistic that should concern us all.

Many people will not know what it is like to wake up in the morning with debilitating hunger, and the dread that comes with knowing there will be nothing to eat until at least the afternoon.

The hunger becomes all consuming. It is a feeling I will never forget.

I have been the child that wakes up with the hunger from the night before and the sluggish walk to school that morning is hard enough without adding the anxiety of wondering whether other children and your teachers can tell, or will hear your stomach rumbling.

The average teacher spends more than £200 per year feeding children in their classrooms, according to a Kellogg's study published in February.

Without our teachers stepping in to take on these roles – which go well beyond what they are paid to do – hunger and the outcome for children’s education and quality of life could be much worse.

• Teachers feed children as quarter are 'too hungry' to learn 
• I grew up in poverty – this is why I'm writing about it 
• I know what it’s like to go to school hungry – does John Swinney? 

Hunger in schools is rarely obvious. The stigma attached to poverty means that is extremely unlikely that a child will confess they have not eaten that day.

Hunger is often hidden away from public view but the signs are there and thankfully our teachers are equipped to spot it – but they should not have to.

Children who are too hungry to learn become dejected, isolated and withdrawn. The data tells us their ability to process information is significantly reduced.

They are often the children arriving to school late, disrupting the class, lacking concentration or not showing up at all.

Nursery-aged children experiencing hunger can face life long consequences, with their vocabulary, speech and numeracy skills often lacking behind their peers.

A former teacher of mine used his own money to bring in breakfast bars and fresh fruit for our registration class, in the hopes of reducing stigma for those of us going to school hungry.

That was around 15 years ago and charities like Magic Breakfast are warning this is now happening on an unprecedented scale.

The Kellogg's survey found that 36% of teachers across the UK said they witnessed hungry children coming into school every day, while almost half (49%) warned the issue had skyrocketed in the last year.

• The Herald unites with 23 charities on child poverty push 
• Herald urges Starmer to scrap two child benefit cap 
• Children in poverty living without bedding is not 'unusual' 

Having written about my own experience of growing up in poverty and experiencing food poverty, it has been surprising to see just how many people are quick to blame the families and begrudge funding that significantly improves the lives of children.

Our child poverty series has laid bare the stark reality of child poverty: children with bedding, clean clothes or food.

Children do not choose to live in poverty. I know I certainly did not. Crucially, our parents do not either.

The days I experienced debilitating hunger before school were often the ones where my dad was in hospital and my mum had to leave early for work. There was little money left over for food and the cupboards were regularly empty.

I was also conscious of hiding my hunger while at school, terrified of the what my peers would say and what would happen to my mum and dad if the school knew of our circumstances.

If it had not have been for generous school teachers, and initiatives like free school meals, it would have been impossible for me to get through a school day during these times.

The Scottish Government has a promise to make Scotland the 'best place in the world to grow up'.

It aims to give every child the best start in life so that they can reach their full potential.

But every single day, countless children in Scotland will be going hungry. Until that is comprehensively tackled then Scotland can never seriously make the claim to be the 'best place in the world to grow up'.