Please find below information on applying for Free School Meals

Free school meals are different to Universal Free School Meals which are provided to children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. Free School Meals are allocated according to family income and therefore are available to any child that qualifies, regardless of their age.
 

You can apply for Free School Meals if you receive one of these benefits:

• 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 guaranteed element of Pension Credit

• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)

• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

If your child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll also qualify for the Holiday Activity & Food Programme. 

Please note that if you are not in receipt of one of the listed benefits, any application will be refuse.

The school receives funding called Pupil Premium, for any child that is or has been entitled to Free School Meals. The school uses this funding to support and enhance the learning of those pupils. It is important to register for entitlement to free school meals, regardless of the year group that your child is in, in order for the school to receive Pupil Premium funding.

Universal Infant Free School Meal

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to receive a free school meal, regardless of income, in line with the Government's Universal Infant Free School Meals initiative. There is no need to make an application to the Local Authority for parents of these children.

Automatic entitlement to a Universal Infant Free School Meal finishes at the end of Year 2 and only children from low income families are eligible from Year 3. Parents should apply for free school meals in the August of the year that their child is entering Year 3, or if your child is Year 4 or older if you believe you meet the low income eligibility criteria.