Pupil Premium and Free School Meals
If your child is eligible for ‘free school meals’ and you have registered them for this, we will receive extra funding called ‘pupil premium’. We use this extra money to improve the educational provision and resources at the school.
What is pupil premium funding?
Pupil Premium funding from the government is given to schools to help children reach their full potential, regardless of their background or financial situation. It’s provided for children who:
- Are registered for free school meals
- Have been registered for free school meals at any point in the past 6 years
- Are, or have been, in care
- Have Parents/Carers in the armed forces
This extra money could make a real difference to the quality of education we offer.
For example, we’ve previously used pupil premium funding for:
- Funding school trips
- 1:1 support
- Extra Teaching Assistant support
Is my child eligible for Free School Meals?
Your child might be eligible if you access:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s 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 and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit depending on how much you receive if you or your partner is working
- Have successfully obtained asylum status
If you are a foster carer, and 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.
Universal infant free school meals (UIFSM)
Currently, children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free school meal thanks to a different government funding scheme known as Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM). You shouldn’t confuse UIFSM with Free Schools Meals and Pupil Premium.
If your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 and is eligible for Free School Meals according to the criteria above, you should still register because we will receive the extra Pupil Premium funding.
Does my child have to eat the free school meals?
No. children who are registered for Free School Meals do not have to eat them. If you are eligible but you want your child to have packed lunches you should still register because the school will receive the funding, which can support your child in other ways.
As part of our ongoing efforts to promote responsibility and reduce waste, all contents of your child’s lunch bag, including any leftover food, wrappers etc, will remain in your child’s lunch bag and brought home at the end of the day.
Food Vouchers
The Local Authority and Department for Education sometimes issues food vouchers for those children who are eligible for Free School Meals. This is not a guaranteed entitlement but subject to available funding. Parents/Carers who are eligible for such food vouchers will be contacted individually.
How do I register?
All Parents/Carers are required to apply directly for Free School Meals on their Citizen Portal.
www.liverpool.gov.uk/benefits/free-school-meals/
If you would like a copy of the Liverpool City Council instructions to assist in your application, please contact the school office.
If you need assistant in applying for FSM, please contact the school office and they will arrange a convenient date and time when they will be able to assist you. If you already have a Citizen Portal email and login, you will need to bring this to the meeting.