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Free School Meals Eligibility

Monday 27 September 2021

Free School Meals Eligibility

Dear Parents/Carers

Families who receive certain benefits may be eligible for Benefit Related Free School Meals.  For all children who are eligible for Free School Meals (whether they decide to have them or not), the school can also cover the full cost of school milk, trips and breakfast club and offers bursaries towards the cost of residential trips, uniform and KS2 music lessons.

For every child who is eligible for Free School Meals, the school will receive £1,345 per year additional funding in the form of Pupil Premium.  This funding is provided to help improve the education of disadvantaged pupils in schools in England.  Our Pupil Premium funding enables us to employ additional adults to support children’s learning in the classroom, as well as provide services such as our Learning Mentor, Lunch Club, Forest School activities and much more.

If your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, you still need to apply for Free School Meals, even though your child receives Universal Infant Free School Meals.  You will also need to apply for each child separately, as eligibility for siblings is not automatic.

If you are in receipt of one of the following benefits your child will be eligible for Free School Meals and we would encourage you to make an application: 

  • Universal Credit with an annual take home income of below £7,400 (£616.67 per month), not including benefits
  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
  • Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
  • Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of no more than £16,190

You can apply online at https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/schools-learning/local-schools/schoolmeals/freeschoolmeals/ and you will receive an instant response.

We would encourage parents to check eligibility using this link and, if you are eligible, forward a copy of the confirmation to [email protected] as soon as possible.

If you have any questions or issues please do not hesitate to contact the school office

Yours faithfully,

Mrs Samantha Hodder

Principal