Pupil Premium & Free School Meals

The Pupil Premium gives schools extra funding to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils from reception to year 11.  It was introduced in 2011 to provide additional school funding for those children from Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 11 classed as having deprived backgrounds, and also those who had been looked after by a local authority for more than six months.  The Service Premium was also introduced for children whose parent(s) are, or have since 2011, served in the armed forces.

Broadly, pupil premium funding is spent in three ways at St Francis. Significant funding is allocated to direct academic support to ensure all pupils in receipt of pupil premium funding have the necessary support to reach at least national standards of attainment in the core areas of reading, writing and mathematics by the time they leave the school. Further pupil premium funds are used to ensure pupils are able to play a full part in the life of the school, removing any differences in opportunity that might occur as a result of financial constraints. Pupil premium funds are also directed to other, less-tangible forms of support to ensure some of our more vulnerable pupils are able to access the curriculum effectively. 

Apply for FREE SCHOOL MEALS (even if your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2),    

it’s quick and easy using the online form at:

https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/rbwm/ 

From September 2014 primary schools have a legal duty to offer all pupils in reception, year 1 & year 2 a free school meal called a Universal Infant free school meal (UIFSM).  This follows a recommendation in the School Food Plan to increase the number of children eating good food in schools.

UIFSM should not be confused with registering pupils for Free School Meals (FSM) if you are from a lower income family and receive benefits. The principle of registering these pupils remains the same and attracts additional school funding called Pupil Premium of £1,455 per registered pupil. As this funding is specifically targeted at the registered pupils to raise their attainment, it is essential you register your child.

In order to find out if your child qualifies please see the section below.

Do you qualify?
You can register your child for Free School Meals if you get any of the following:

• 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)

How does it work?

1.    Checking whether you qualify and registering is really quick and easy – do it online at:    https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/rbwm/ 

2.    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) and the school gets extra money to help your child

3.    If you don’t want your child to have a free school meal they can continue as normal – as long as you qualify, and are registered, the school still receives the £1,455 extra.

No one will know you have registered and it will not affect any other benefits you are claiming.