Are school dinners free to every child at school up to year 2?

[Crazyoldmaurice]

As above. Are all state funded school's school dinners free for every child up to year 2? Googling suggests this but my childs school website seems to make it look like only families in receipt of benefits or on working tax credits but below a salary of 16k are eligible 🤔?

They're free for every child in state education up to the end of yr2.

Yes, in England at least, school dinners for R, Y1 and Y2 are free. Our school also provides free morning snacks (raw fruit and veg), but they do that through a separate grant, I think (it's for all children up to Y6).

It is for DD. She is in an infants school so to year 2 only. Her school website also fails to mention this so was a bit of a (nice) surprise when she started.

Universal free school meals for KS1 when in school, but you only qualify for the vouchers if you qualify for free school meals due to benefits when not in school.

I have a 2 month old so not sure if its my brain not quite functioning properly but am I reading this all wrong?

"If you would like information about eligibility for free meals, please contact the school office staff.

To qualify for Free School Meals an applicant must live in xxxxxx xxxxxxx and is required to provide proof that they are in receipt of one of the following: Income Support, Income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Income related Employment and Support Allowance, Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, Child tax credit (without working tax credit) and have an annual income of less than £16,190, Guarantee element of State Pension Credit"

It mentions nothing about school meals being free for that age group

No but that’s just an omission on their part. State schools, R-Y2 - they’re free.

However - I didn’t know this until we had new starter gumpf through recently, because we’re not eligible - but if you have a child in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 and you meet the criteria for free school meals beyond Year 2, you should still apply through your council as that gets the school the Pupil Premium funding - more much-needed money in their pocket.

www.gov.uk/government/news/free-school-lunch-for-every-child-in-infant-school

There you go.

Does anyone know if the term of free school meals that most children in KS1 will have missed due to lockdown is going to roll over?

I think the chances are nil, Toogood. The Tories aren’t fans of free meals for KS1 as it is and there’s no real argument for extending it.

It's a lot of money though, NobleGiraffe - about £160 for the whole term. I don't see why I should just "gift" this money to the government. I'd be surprised if no one else was bothered by it and find it odd that it hasn't been picked up by the media (I guess because no one knows anything at the moment).

Have KS1 children not been receiving vouchers to reflect the free school lunches missed?

My DD is one who will be losing out, but realistically there won’t be the funding for it. There will be lots more children qualifying for FSM due to rising unemployment and the KS1 FSM were only ever seen as a ‘nice to have’ rather than ‘kid will go hungry without them’.

I think the vouchers are only for children who are generally entitled to free school meals, not because they are in KS1? Have sent an email to our school to clarify.

Assuming you can afford to make up the term or so of meals at home then I know it sucks to lose out but frankly it’s not something I could get het up about. As a PP said, so many will be significantly worse off as a result of all this and the economy is taking a necessary battering, to put it very mildly. It’s one of those things in life to suck up and be grateful it’s not worse. I’d feel a bit grim putting additional pressure on FSM streams right now just for the sake of not losing out. Of course it’s different if you’ve been left worse off to the point you’d qualify for the benefits or can’t afford to feed the children properly - that’s what welfare and FSM are there for and so should be used.

Have KS1 children not been receiving vouchers to reflect the free school lunches missed?

No, not the universal ones. Only the pupil premium.

OP the difference is pupil premium and universal KS1 free school meals. Pupil premium is often called ‘free school meals’ because that’s what the child sees but it’s also that the school gets extra money, that’s what you need the proof of low income for. The universal free school meals for KS1 is separate.

www.theschoolrun.com/the-parents-guide-to-the-pupil-premium

Free school meals are for those children from low income families irrespective of the child's age

Universal school meals is nothing to do with household income but to do with school year. Reception, year 1 and year 2 qualify.

@TooGood2BeTrue

I think the vouchers are only for children who are generally entitled to free school meals, not because they are in KS1? Have sent an email to our school to clarify.

DD’s school offered vouchers although possibly this was just them rather than something nationwide they were asked to do. We didn’t take them up on it so not sure of the finer details. No fruit since returning to school though due to supply problems. Should be ok from September though.

I'm in Scotland so P1/2/3 hey free meals as standard. Anyone, in our local area certainly, who qualifies by low income AND the P1/2/3 kids have been getting a payment of £11 a week since March and this is to continue throughout the summer holidays.