Since 2006 the Healthy Food and Drink and Free School Meal Teams have been working in partnership with schools and other external stakeholders in order to increase the take up of Free School Meals.
It has been highlighted that there are certain issues with regards to the funding of Free School Meals when take up significantly increases.
Historically funding for Free School Meals was determined by the January Census, with schools awarded funding for the following financial year based on the number of children who took the meal at this time.
There was no provision of funding for those schools who found that their free school meal numbers increased during the financial year.
The Healthy Food and Drink Team proposed at the Schools Forum a way in which funding could be accessed for schools who found they had at least a 10% increase in take up. Full details of the proposal can be found in Agenda Item 5.2 in the Related Section link below:
The School Meal Return will need to be completed on a regular basis in order to access the Free School Meal Contingency Fund. Please take a look at the information on the School Meal Returns page for more information.
Funding will be provided for those schools who find their Free School Meal take up has increased by 10% or more.
If your take up has increased by 10% or more compared to the January Census please contact us using the details on the right hand side of this page.
Related Section