Free School Meals – Advantages to Your Family and The School.

Did you know… just registering your child for Free School Meals means that the school gets extra money?

Register now so that your child gets the full advantage.

The Department for Education asks us to remind parents to apply for free school meals if they are eligible. Since the introduction of Universal Free School Meals, many children are missing out because eligible families are not registering – Don’t let your child miss out.

Even if your child is in Foundation Stage, Year 1 or Year 2, it is important to register.

You only have to do this once and the school will be allocated Pupil Premium funding to provide additional opportunities for your child for the next 6 years.

You can register online, confidentially:

Why Register?

We know that more families are struggling to meet rising costs in challenging economic times, but our free school meals percentage is 9.5%. The Kent average is 15.3% and National average is 15.8%. This means that our families are likely to be missing out on a benefit that they are entitled to.

For every child registered, River Primary School gets an additional £1,320 per year.

With this money we could provide additional educational support and opportunities.

How does it work?

1. First, you can check if you qualify – it is not just if you are unemployed, so please look at the list below.
 

2. Registering is really quick and easy – if you think you qualify, please apply online or pick up a form from the table outside the school office.  A member of office staff  would be happy to help you if you would like them to.

3. If you want your child to have a free, healthy meal at lunchtime that’s  great – they will get the free meal (saving you more than £400 a year), extra benefits and the school gets £1,320 extra.

4. If you don’t want your child to have the school meals they don’t have to; they can continue as normal – as long as you qualify and are registered, the school still gets £1,320 extra.

No one will know you have registered [it is confidential] and it will not affect any other benefits you are claiming. All children taking meals simply answer the register – no one in class will know who pays and who does not.

If you have proof of one of the following benefits you can make an application:

• Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
• 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 (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 four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

* If you need support in making an application please speak to the staff in the school office. They would be more than happy to help. *