Our Partnership of schools
St Michael'sChurch of England Academy
Pupil Premium & FREE SCHOOL MEALS
Did you know that claiming free school meals really helps the school to support the needs of your child?
Find out if your child can get free school meals, how to apply, and understand how to get extra funding for your school.
Pre-school children aged 2, 3 and 4 (not yet in a reception class)
Your child will be eligible for free school meals if they meet the eligibility criteria and attends:
- a maintained Nursery School
- the nursery class of a school/academy
To be eligible for a free school meal, your child will need to be attending sessions before and after lunch on that day.
Pre-school children attending:
- private or community pre-schools or nurseries
- school-based pre-schools which are not integral to the school/academy
are not eligible for free school meals, even if parents meet the eligibility criteria. If you're not sure what type of setting your child attends, please check with the staff.
Children in Reception, Year 1 and 2
All Key Stage 1 (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) pupils are entitled to receive a free school meal. This is part of the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) initiative and regardless of what benefits are being claimed.
However, some children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 may also have an entitlement to benefits-related Free School Meals. Children in this group are also eligible for Pupil Premium – additional funding paid to the school to support your child in their learning. It is important to apply for benefits-related Free School Meals if you think your child may be eligible. This is so that your child’s school can receive this funding.
Your child will be eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Children in Year 3 and above
Your child may be eligible for benefits-related free school meals if you, or the child themselves, meet the eligibility criteria.
If eligible for Free School Meals, your child will also be eligible for pupil premium. This is additional funding paid to the school to support your child in their learning.
Free school meals eligibility criteria if you receive benefits
A child is eligible for free school meals if their parent/carer (or the child themselves) receives any of the following benefits:
- 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)
- Income Support (IS)
- Job Seekers' Allowance (Income-Based) and equal based Job Seekers Allowance
- Income Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA-IR) and equal based Employment and Support Allowance
- Child Tax Credit (CTC) 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 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Guarantee Element of Pension Credit (GPC)
- Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (IAA) Supports
Free School Meal transitional protections
The benefit related free school meal (FSM) protections policy was introduced in 2018. It was introduced to protect those eligible for benefit related FSM from becoming ineligible while Universal Credit (UC) was being rolled out.
The transitional protection ended on 31 March 2025.
Any pupil who is in receipt of Benefit Related Free School Meals immediately prior to or after the 1 April 2018 will continue to receive until their entitlement to a free meal until their current phase of education, i.e., primary or secondary.
Entitlements for year 6 children will be reviewed at the end of the Summer Term. If you still meet the eligibility criteria, the entitlement will automatically be transferred to the new secondary school. If you no longer meet the eligibility criteria, the entitlement will be cancelled.
Apply for Free School Meals
You can apply for Free School Meals and Pupil Premium online.
Please ensure you have read the important information on this page before applying.
Do you think your child is entitled to free school meals? Please fill out this short form on the local authority's website, Free school meals - Torbay Council. We can answer your questions at the school office, and help you fill in the form. It really will be a help to school, as well as to your pocket!
Please remember that all information that is passed to school is held in the strictest confidence, and any information regarding the eligibility of your child to Pupil Premium funding will be of huge benefit to our school.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pupil Premium Funding:
What is Pupil Premium funding?
In 2011-12 the Government launched its pupil premium funding. This money is sent to schools by Central Government based on the numbers of pupils in the school who are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM). From 2012-13, it was expanded to include all children who have been eligible for FSM within the last 6 years. In addition, children whose parents work in the Forces or children who are ‘Looked After Children’ receive a grant. Currently, the pupil premium is worth £1,455 per pupil to the school.
How is Pupil Premium spending monitored?
This money is allocated by the school to initiatives specifically designed to ensure eligible children reach their full potential, both academically and socially. Each school may decide how best to use the funding, and they are held accountable for how it has been used to support pupils from low-income families.
We believe the provision for pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium needs to be strategically led and carefully managed at an operational level. This provision is currently led by the Headteacher and leaders in the school. Provision for pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium will be offered based on identified group and individual needs, with pupils accessing as many of the provisions and interventions as they individually require.
Please read the information below which gives details of our Pupil Premium and Recovery Grants, including how we allocate the funding.
How is Pupil Premium spent?
School leaders are best placed to assess their pupils’ needs and use the funding to improve attainment, drawing on evidence of effective practice. It is up to school leaders to decide how to spend the pupil premium.
Evidence suggests that pupil premium spending is most effective when schools use a tiered approach, targeting spending across 3 areas, with a particular focus on teaching.
Teaching:
Investing in high-quality teaching, for example:
- Training and professional development for teachers;
- Recruitment and retention;
- Support for teachers early in their careers.
Targeted academic support:
Additional support for some pupils focussed on their specific needs, for example:
- One-to-one tuition;
- Small group tuition;
- Speech and language therapy.
Wider approaches:
Support for non-academic issues that impact success in school, such as attendance, behaviour and social and emotional challenges. For example:
- School breakfast clubs;
- Counselling to support emotional health and wellbeing;
- Help with the cost of residential trips or visits.
Children attending a full-day nursery may be eligible for free school meals. Find out today if your child is entitled to additional support! Free school meals - Torbay Council
To learn more about our Pupil Premium income, how it was used and the difference it has made, please read the reports below: