Who knows if a child is on FSM?

[orchidsonabudget]

we have just received UC - I understand I can apply for FSM but I want to know who would know if they are receiveing it?
Kids at small village primary
Also older DC at secondary

We got custody of step daughter and she was receiving free school meals and even we didn't know!

We have numerous PP TAs who only do intervention with PP pupils. However, it is 40% of the children, so many of them receive it.

The kids don't know any of this though. The kids couldn't tell you who was PP.

In the secondary schools I have worked in the pupil premium kids would get free revision guides and workbook to help with their GCSEs or a levels. Depending on the trip they would get it free or up to 50% off the price.

It is nothing to be worried about and may get them additional resources or assistance.

Sorry - to clarify - in my school all staff who were charged with any data collection/analysis had access via SIMS, so HODs and pastoral heads.

@pringlebells

What is FSM

Free schools meals.

I've also worked at senior school and our computer tills told us who gotFSM , we only used that knowledge if there wasn't enough in the child's account and had to flag it with the finance lady.

I had to stop ordering dd a Friday packed lunch because it was obvious and she was embarrassed. They leave school before lunch on the Friday half day so offer a packed lunch to purchase or for fsm but it's absolutely rubbish so no one in their right mind would pay nearly £3 for it. Dd was the only one in her class coming out with the lunch so it was obvious. At the school I work though the majority of the dc are fsm. School staff know, catering staff don't and other dc wouldn't know.

In my school the list of pupils receiving pupil premium funding is shared with all teachers but we don't know why each child is receiving it. Also we have no interest in looking at anything other than the children we teach so I couldn't tell you about children from other departments, even having seen the list. No one is going to be interested and certainly no one is going to judge.

All staff working with a class in any primary I’ve worked in would know who is PP.

We have PP staff who work only with the PP children -that’s where the funding for them comes from so we have to show impact. Their progress will also be discussed as a group as it would with children with SEN in pupil progress meetings.

@reefedsail

As staff we do not talk about it or discuss it. There's never a reason to.

You mean except in your pupil progress meetings when SLT are asking you how your PP children are doing?

Not all our PP or FSM children are discussed in pupil progress meetings. There's no need for it if they're on target and progressing as they should. We have a targeted list of children(not all PP or FSM), plus any new concerns that might arise. We have classes with 14/16 PP children. It would be pointless and a waste of time to discuss each and every one just because they're PP.

I am a kitchen manager in a primary school. I don't know which children are fsm only how many children overall are.

Please apply, the school will get significantly more funding for your child. This will mean they will be able to arrange extra provision for your child if they need it such as extra tuition or academic support, extra art,music or drama activities, counselling or wellbeing support. Many schools also use the money for very personalised things if you need support such as paying for your school trip contributions, school uniform, subsidising your wrap around care...
Please know that no one will judge you or your family. Staff know who the FSM children are so they can keep an extra eye on them. This is both so they can put their extra funding to good use to benefit the child, and also because families who are eligible for FSM tend to have a harder time of it, because poverty is hard!

Only staff would no, children wouldn't. Your DC won't be treated differently than they are now. Apply for it through gateway app if you don't want to speak in school but if you do, the staff will do it discreetly and you could broach it through email if you wanted.

It's very discreet and to staff it's not a big deal. Your DC will be looked after by caring people who prioritise their wellbeing and education, they'll be glad they get to eat, no matter how.

I totally understand why your asking this. My children became eligible for FSM 2 years ago. In so glad they did and I claimed it, although I often have imposter syndrome about it. Although my circumstances have slightly changed my children will get pupil premium funding & FSM until they finish the school they are at now. It is a godsend knowing they have had a hot dinner at lunchtime. Not having to make packed lunches is amazing. Knowing is not the end of the world if they have beans on toast for tea if we are busy as they have had a hot lunch is great.
I also received the vouchers over the summer holidays and have just received vouchers for x mas (this a Via a council scheme not a national scheme this time) my children also accessed free summer holiday family days which included craft / sport / cookery family sessions at a local secondary school. In lockdown when so much was closed this was a lovely activity/ day to do on some days. I know from working in schools that extra funding is given and pupil premium children are monitored as a group due to the inequality’s children face from lower income backgrounds. I’m glad that however hard it is to acknowledge that it’s my children that this effects - that I’m doing all I can to help them by claiming FSM and letting school claim the extra funding for them.

@reefedsail

Children who receive Pupil Premium are considered as a separate group for school performance accountability measures, so in my school, and many others across the land, all adults will be able to easily identify which they are. It's not uncommon for them to have stickers on their books to make them easily identifiable. I have fought against this in my school.

I have never, ever come across this before! Your school sounds awful 😢. In schools that are not horrible, the teacher, headteacher, bursar and class TA would know as schools have to justify how they spend their PP money. No one cares though, other than from a data point of view. Other children and parents wouldn’t know.

In secondary school, the money is credited to their account so they wouldn’t know. They only get £3 per day though which isn’t enough for snacks so it’s worth adding a bit more to the account if you can and they want to get snacks at break time. DS’s friend gets free school meals and complains bitterly about this so this is the only way DS knows. I assume the same staff will know in a secondary school as they PP money still has to be justified.

Another teacher here saying please apply, we would never treat your child any differently. It's on a need to know basis and schools benefit from some extra funding for children who get free meals. I frequently forget who gets them anyway!

My school is lovely! Most nurturing place I've ever worked and I've been round the block.

OP asked who in school would know, the answer is all the adults (directly dealing with education). 'Closing the gap' is rightly a massive government priority, and, however you feel about it, you can't really tackle that without the staff knowing who is in what group.

As I said, the children have no idea unless you stick a ridiculous red circle on their book.

Im a teacher. I can check anytime who is and isnt on it, but off the top of my head... not a clue. My own kids were on FSM for a while, so no judgement.

Claim it, its all extra money for the school which helps all the kids.

When I was in secondary school those on FSM had a separate queue so everyone knew who they were. I’m hoping it’s changed since then.

Sometimes SLT will ask for the books of Pupil
Premium children (to ensure they're not lagging behind: they tend to be tracked
even more closely than other children) - I'm supposed to know off the top of my head who they are, but I don't, and if you asked me to guess I'd get it wrong! Office staff, head teacher, class teacher and TA could find out...lunchtime and kitchen staff wouldn't have a clue. When governors are shown data, individual names redacted.

Class teachers are absolutely expected to know the PP children in their class.

@Letseatgrandma

Class teachers are absolutely expected to know the PP children in their class.

We get a list. I don't know it by heart, but I can access it in a second.

Not all PP children are FSM anyways.

This is good to read. Things have changed for the better.

When I was at school those on free school meals had to queue for their token before lunch.

Take the meals OP

It's not uncommon for them to have stickers on their books to make them easily identifiable

I don’t think that’s even remotely true about it not being uncommon. I’ve never known a school to do that, bit too reminiscent of making people have stars sewn on! 😱 My boss wants us to seat PP students in a certain area of the class. I have refused. They are not necessarily vulnerable, certainly not necessarily less able. Military kids are all PP in case they missed schooling due to multiple moves with a parent’s job, not sure many teachers know this, one I spoke to last week didn’t.

Teachers will know but your child will not be treated differently, why would he/she be? One student I spoke to recently was PP but didn’t know! I had to very diplomatically explain to him that at some point in the past 6 years, he may have been on FSM but no longer is (it’s called Eversix)

Please access this, it means your child gets free books if you’re asked to buy extras-our GCSE workbooks are automatically paid for, plus future trips may be subsidised.

Agree with pp, teachers should know their PP students (and SEN) if asked. I could list you mine. When I spoke to the lead OFSTED Inspector for my subject last year, he said PP students are a big focus currently. Initiatives such as marking their books first were big about 3 years ago, still are.