Free School Meals

[Mummy2SGG]

After speaking to my LA about the above, I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience of schools rolling over the free school meal allowance. My sons receive £2.30 every day but I don't know where this money goes if they are absent or don't use the full daily amount? Any help would be appreciated.

FSM money doesn’t roll over if it’s not used. It just disappears. But now you’ve got me wondering what happens to it. I hope the school gets to keep the money.

That's my point. If the school gets it, what do they use it for?

The food has already been purchased in advance even if it doesn't get eaten. So I assume that's where 'unused' money goes?

At secondary level, (and most of primary), The school meals funding is part of and not separated out from the pupil premium Funding schools get for eligible pupils, which is about £955 a year for secondary pupils. The 2.30 is a notional allocation within that.

(There is a seperate school meals grant intended to help schools cope with the increase in those who qualified which was supposed too to last a couple of years but it got extended but it's only a top up)

So if a meal isn't taken, the money would be there for spending as part of the rest of the pupil premium. Though of course this is all a bit notional as there may be some costs incurred even if a child missed a meal.

Any "spare" does not have to be spent on the specific child though. It's all part of pupil premium.