School Meals

School Meals are a great way to ensure your child is eating a healthy and well-balanced meal during the school day. Every school meal served meets the Government’s rigorous nutritional standards – good to know as evidence suggests that eating well improves a child’s concentration and learning.

Free school meals – Infants

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in state-funded schools in England will be eligible for free school meals. This includes infant pupils in maintained infant and primary schools, free schools, academies, schools for pupils with special educational needs and pupil referral units.

Even though your child is entitled to a free school meal if they are in Infants, we would still like you to apply for a free school meal if you are on any of the following benefits:

  • 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)
  • Income Support
  • Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual taxable income that does not exceed £16,190
  • Income-Based Job Seekers’ Allowance
  • Employment Support Allowance (Income Related)
  • Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

If a parent is entitled to Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after their employment ceases, or after they start to work less than 16 hours per week, their children are also entitled to free school meals.

Extra funding for your child’s education

The pupil premium is additional funding given to publicly funded schools in England to raise the achievement level of pupils. This means your child’s school will receive an additional £1,300 every year for six years from the Government to support their education if your child would have been entitled to free school meals because of your family income. This money must be spent on your child, but it is for the school to decide how it is spent. The school’s website will provide information on how the school chooses to use the premium to improve achievement.

We will then be able to confirm throughout the year whether the school is entitled to the additional pupil premium funding for your child.

If parents in KS2 are on any of the above benefits, you could be entitled to free school meals for your child too.

How to apply

To apply online please click here:  http://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/free-school-meals