Do I have to pay for the supervision lunch charge if my son (4y.o.) is eligible for free school meals?

[reablaz]

Hello,

Do I have to pay for the supervision lunch charge if my son (4y.o.) is eligible for free school meals?

I have applied for free school meals recently, and received an email saying my child is eligible for free school meals.

The school charges parents £382 per academic year for the supervision at lunch time between 11:30 and 12:15 every day (45min), which is £2 per day (£10 a week, £382 per year in total); doesn't not matter if a child eats school meals (free or not), or bring their own lunch boxes with home food (schools still have to supervise and charge for it).

Google AI says if a child is eligible for free school meals, parents do not have to pay for supervision charge. We also receive 30 free hours.

Google/AI:
"Yes, if your child is eligible for free school meals, the supervision charge during lunchtime is typically covered, as the school is required to provide proper facilities and supervision for all pupils to eat their meals safely, regardless of whether they pay for lunch or not; this includes children receiving free school meals."

Government website:
"Facilities to eat the food that they bring to school must be provided free of charge for pupils not taking school meals. As a minimum these facilities should include accommodation, furniture and supervision so that pupils can eat food they have brought from home in a safe and social environment."

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/standards-for-school-food-in-england/school-food-in-england#:~:text=Facilities%20to%20eat%20the%20food,a%20safe%20and%20social%20environment.

I am confused, do we have to pay for the supervision or not?

Is it allowed by law for the school to charge for the supervision?

I am looking for calm and relevant answers with no criticism, arrogance, sarcasm or irony. If it is not the right place, please let me know, if there are any communities, forums, groups where I can ask these questions; or possibly, should I call to my district council, school itself or citizens advice?

Thank you.

Is he in nursery or reception?

The schools cannot put an artificial break in the day and insist you pay. They have to give you the choice of using your funded hours.
I would refer school to the recent Statutory Guidance that government put out.

What sort of school is it?

You might need to pay for any hours outside your 30 hours if your school hours are longer than funded hours but there is help available if you are on UC or through tax free childcare.

I'm assuming school nursery class?

If he's funded for 30 hours, is he there for more than 30 hours, term time only?

There shouldn't be an artificial gap in funded sessions which force parents to pay. However if he's there's more than 30 hours each week then you'll still have something to pay.

I assume as you mention 30 free hours this is a preschool attached to a school and your child is not yet in reception (due to start in September?). If so I'm confident they can charge for the time between their funded sessions as the child will receive their 30 hours which presumably fall 8.30 to 11.30 and 12.15 to 15.15. You will get your FSM and not have to pay for any supervision inside the school day when child starts reception. Although at the minute you will get the universal infant free school meal anyway.

To repeat, I am assuming preschool and in England in my answer, apologies if this is not the case.

Don’t they have to be in school to get free school meals? In which case how are the 30 hours relevant?

Reception.

Reception.

So how does he get 30 hours if he’s in reception?

That’s crazy. Absolutely not. Is it a state school?

If this a state school and dc is in reception regardless of whether they get free meals or not, surely they can’t charge for supervision at lunch.

You don't get 30 funded hours in Reception unless they're in a private school and they sometimes let you use funding against the fees....

I have never heard of a lunch supervision charge in reception. My dd is in reception this year and we don’t have to pay at all. Are you in England?

In which case, private school, yes of course you have to pay!

We also receive 30 free hours.

What do you mean?

This sounds very dodgy to me. 'Funded hours' do not apply to school age children, just as FSM (free SCHOOL meals)does not apply to preschool childcare. Wires are crossed somewhere!

And receptions free anyway isn’t it? So why the 30 free hours?

Is this private school because no state school should be charging for lunch supervision? If so then i guess they can charge whatever they like whenever they like.

This doesn’t make sense. Hes either at school or he’s at nursery/preschool.

State schools don’t charge money for just being there. So it can’t be that.

Nurseries or preschools can charge as they’re private businesses. This would then be looking at if the charges are in compliance with the funding.

You don’t get 30 free hours if he’s at state school though.

Why is this in 'nurseries' if he's in reception?

@reablaz is your child at private school and using the 30 hours funding in reception? We can’t help you if you don’t give us all the information.

I assume, I can disclose the school name:

The morning session at [school name redacted] Primary School and Nursery in [town name redacted] runs from 8:30 AM–11:30 AM, and the afternoon session runs from 12:15 PM–3:15 PM.

My son is at Reception year. In September 2025 he is going to start primary school Year1.

No, public school, funded 30 hours in reception.

Don't all reception and ks1 children qualify for free lunch? Does he not attend all day? Is the supervision for those opting for packed lunch instead.