Depending on family circumstances, you may be eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) which comes under the umbrella of Pupil Premium.

The Pupil Premium grant is additional funding provided to schools with the aim of increasing social mobility, reducing the attainment gap between the highest and lowest achieving pupils nationally and enabling more pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to have higher aspirations for their academic future. 

Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011 and allocated to schools so they can work with pupils who have been registered as eligible for free school meals.  In April 2013, this was extended to those who had been registered at any point in the last six years (known as ‘Ever 6 & FSM’).  Schools also receive funding for pupils who have been looked after by the Local Authority for more than six months or adopted and for pupils whose parents are currently serving in the armed forces, or whose parent/guardian is in receipt of a pension from the Ministry of Defence.  Funding per pupil premium child in 2022/23 will be £1,385 in Years Reception to Year 6 and £342 in Nursery (£2,410 for looked after and adopted children and £320 for children of armed forces personnel).

The Federation of Earlswood schools receives the Pupil Premium grant based on the number of children eligible for free school meals, even if those children do not wish to take up the free school meal.  The more children who are eligible for free school meals, the more funding the Federation receives which can be used to benefit all pupils.

Families in receipt of the following benefits may be eligible for free school meals:

• Income Support
• Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• The guarantee element of Pension Credit
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods).
• They are currently being looked after by a local authority in England or Wales
• They have left care in England or Wales through:
  • An adoption order
  • A special guardianship order
  • A child arrangements order

Please click on the links below to complete the relevant registration form(s).

• Nursery - Children in the nursery will receive a £20 grocery voucher a month if they are entitled to Free School Meals. 
• Reception - Y6

If you would like and further information or require a paper copy, please do not hestitate to contact Mrs Julie Garcia j.garcia@earlswood.surrey.sch.uk or Mrs Sarah Marsh s.marsh@earlswood.surrey.sch.uk