Free Schools Meals and Pupil Premium Funding

Since April 2011 schools have received Pupil Premium funding for pupils from low-income families, for pupils who are in care and pupils of armed service personnel.  This includes pupils eligible at any point in the last six years, known as the Ever 6 Free School Meals (FSM) measure.  In order to trigger this additional funding, parents need to advise school if they are in receipt of:

• Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guarantee element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

Pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in state-funded schools are eligible for ‘Universal Infant Free School Meals’.  In addition, children from Reception through to Year 6 are entitled to receive free school meals if their parents or carers are in receipt of certain types of benefits.

During the current financial year our school will receive £1300 pupil premium per eligible pupil.  Pupil Premium gives schools extra funding to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils.  It is paid to our school and enables us to provide additional resources and opportunities for those pupils.  Ofsted inspections report on how our use of funding affects the attainment and progress of disadvantaged pupils. 

In order to trigger Pupil Premium funding we need to register children who would be entitled to  'Free School Meals ' if parents had to pay for them as under the old system. Although meals are now free in our school it is important for us to maintain a ‘free school meal register’ as our pupils will only receive the Pupil Premium if they meet the criteria detailed above.

 We would like to remind you that if you are what the government terms ‘on a low income’ your child qualifies for the Free School Meals register. Pupils don’t have to take our meals if they don’t want to; however, if they are on this register then they qualify for Pupil Premium funding.

Registering for Free School Meals

You can get further information by talking to Mrs Baker or Mrs Guppy in the school office or alternatively you can 

complete the form below. If you are unsure if you qualify please complete the form and we can check on your behalf. Paper copies of the form are also available from the school office.

The Early Years Pupil Premium (Nursery- Mallards)

From April 2015, nurseries, schools, childminders and other childcare providers will be able to claim extra funding through the Early Years Pupil Premium to support children’s development, learning and care.

The Early Years Pupil Premium provides an extra 53 pence per hour for three and four year old children whose parents are in receipt of certain benefits or who have been in care or adopted from care. This means an extra £302 a year for each child taking up the full 570 hours funded entitlement to early education.  This additional money could make a significant difference to us.

We can use the extra funding in any way we choose to improve the quality of the early years education that we provide for your child.

It is well documented that high quality early education can influence how well a child does at both primary and secondary school so we do want to make the most of this additional funding. You may be aware if you have older children that a pupil premium has been available for school age children and it has proved to have given a real boost to the children receiving the funding. We want to do the same for our early years children entitled to this funding.

If  you meet the criteria for 'free school meals' as detailed above then please apply using the form below and return to the school office. Paper copies are also available from the school office.  If you are unsure if you would qualify please complete the form and we can check on your behalf.