Free School Meals / Transitional protection / pupil premium

[HellsBellsTunbridgeWells]

I am confused about eligibility for free school meals and transitional protection and also the difference between FSM and pupil premium. Any advice much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

In August 2021, I applied for UC. The children received free school meals at school and also meal vouchers during the holidays, which was very helpful. I also received monthly UC money.

In April 2022, my circumstances change and I am no longer in recipient of Universal Credit/benefits (aside from child benefit).

At the same time, I informed the primary school that my circumstance has changed and asked what this means for the children, as they have been enjoying cooked lunches and a free pupil premium club after school. The school office told me I needed to provide a packed lunch for the children, which I have been doing. But they can still attend the club after school.

My eldest child is now transitioning to secondary school. I noticed the new school added a residential trip to my ParentPay account at the Pupil Premium discounted rate. I queried this. They told me she was listed as Pupil Premium and also entitled to meal vouchers and free lunches at school when she starts. I queried this again and explained what the primary school said. They discussed with me "transitional protection". They explained that any pupil gaining eligibility for FSM during the rollout of Universal Credit will keep their eligibility until 31 March 2023. After 31 March 2023 any pupil losing eligibility will continue to be transitionally protected until the end of their current phase of education, example primary/secondary. All “protected pupils” will be identified on schools’ free school meals list.

Confused, I asked for clarity again from the primary school. They said “once a child has no entitlement to free school meals, they are then moved on to being a pupil premium child for the next 6 school years. This no longer entitles you to hot lunches in school or food vouchers in the holidays, but gives you uniform vouchers, subsidized visits, trips and clubs that the child may take part in”

I am confused by this and the conflicting messages I am getting.

Which piece of advice is correct?

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for your response

I have always been under the impression that pupil premium, which continues for 6 years, does cover free school lunches and I think your primary is incorrect. Your local council will be the best people to confirm though.

As I understand it, you keep fsm until the next phase of education, so lose it if you're no longer entitled at end of ks1, ks2, ks3 etc. But I may well be wrong.

I don't have the answers to hand but if you Google 'ever 6 funding' you should find the info you're looking for

Your child is protected under the roll out -the primary should never have removed the child. This will be flagged up on the school census-they have made a mistake.

Your school have made a mistake.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/700139/Free_school_meals_guidance_Apr18.pdf

sorry on the phone so hope you can access link . I had the same query with my school. At the moment once you are eligible you stay eligible even if your circumstances change.

primary school really should be aware of transitional protection. It has been in place since 2018

To be clear transitional protection means you keep being eligible for fsm until at least March 2023. At that point if your circumstances have changed you would still be eligible till your child finishes either primary or secondary.

Free school meals, excluding the universal infant meals, entitle you to pupil premium. Everyone currently on FSM will be in receipt of pupil premium.

As @Helpreallyneeded posted, since 2018 those who were or became eligible for FSM retain eligibility until the end of the UC roll out, at the moment that date is 31st March 2023 although could well be pushed back, even if they wouldn’t meet the threshold as a new application. After 31st March 2023 pupils will retain eligibility until the end of the current phase of education. So, DD is still eligible for FSM and will retain eligibility throughout secondary until the end of Y11.

Not all those in receipt of pupil premium will get free school meals however as you continue to be eligible for pupil premium for 6 years after stopping being eligible for free school meals. Then there’s also service pupil premium and pupil premium plus.

I think you should bring this to the attention of the primary school otherwise they are going to say similar to others in the same boat.

I'm similarly confused by transitional funding. I don't appear to qualify as receive WTC but ParentPay does record a FSM on the list of items taken, even though my secondary school child hasn't taken it. So my yr9 child purchases a sandwich and I pay for that but also a FSM is ticked as taken. Someone said this may be a legacy of previous FSM entitlement? I don't recall ever having applied for FSM though.

Have you spoken to the school?