Free School Meals & Pupil Premium
FS2, Year 1 and Year 2
All children in FS2, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a Universal Free School Meal under a government scheme. However, if a child’s parent or carer receives certain benefits (see below), they can also apply for Pupil Premium - formerly known as Free School Meals. If granted, this will entitle your child to free milk at school, plus the school will be entitled to additional funding. Therefore we are asking all parents/carers who think they might be eligible, to please make an application for Pupil Premium. If your child prefers to take a packed lunch to school, you can still register for Pupil Premium to receive the free milk and the school will receive the additional funding.
Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6
Older children in years 3 to 6 can also apply for Pupil Premium to entitle them to free school meals and free milk. Again this depends on the parent or carer receiving certain benefits (see below) and if the application is successful the school will receive the Pupil Premium funding too. If your child prefers to take a packed lunch to school, you can still register for Pupil Premium to receive the free milk and the school will receive the additional funding.
Who can get Pupil Premium (free school meals)?
Parents or guardians are entitled to get free school meals for their children if they receive any of the following:
- Income Support
- Income based Jobseekers Allowance
- Guaranteed Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit with a total annual taxable income of less than £16,190 and are NOT receiving Working Tax Credit
- Income related Employment Support Allowance
- Universal Credit with an annual assessed net income of no more than £7400
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
If you are a foster carer, and are receiving a fostering allowance, you are not eligible to claim free school meals for those children you are fostering from school Year 3 and above.
How to apply
You can complete the application online here:
(You will need to apply, even if your child automatically gets a free meal under the universal infant free meal scheme, to recieve free school milk and for the school to receive additional funding)
You will receive an immediate response to your application form via email. This will tell you if you are eligible. If you don’t apply, the school will miss out on funding which could go towards trips and educational equipment.