Free School Meals

A healthy diet brings many benefits including promoting great learning.  We strongly encourage all parents who think their daughter might be eligible, to apply in confidence, for Free School Meals.

Your daughter(s) is currently entitled to free school meals if you are in receipt of:

• Universal Credit - with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400
• Income Support (IS)
• Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance (IBJSA)
• an income–related employment and support allowance (ESA)
• Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of no more than £16,190
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of the State Pension Credit

Free School Meals Application Form

Free School Meal eligibility is used to determine the level of Pupil Premium received by the school.  It is therefore also in our interest to ensure that all children eligible are registered, even if they choose not to take up the benefit - you will be providing additional funding to the school to support Pupil Premium students.Please note that the application for free school meals must be made directly to the school and your application will be treated in confidence. Please contact: [email protected] to make an application or if you have any questions.

Changes from September 2026

From September 2026 there will be some changes to Free School Meals.  There will be 2 categories of free school meals (FSM): Targeted FSM and Expanded FSM

Targeted FSM

Children eligible through the Targeted category will be entitled to:

• free school meals
• be included in funding provided to schools for the Pupil Premium
• Holiday Access Fund (HAF) vouchers (while the scheme is provided)
  This may also help with eligibility for home to school transport.

Parents in receipt of the following benefits will be eligible for the Targeted category:

• Universal Credit and the household income is below £7,400 per year (as assessed by HMRC)
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Income Based Employment and Support Allowance
• Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
• families eligible under the No Recourse to Public Funds criteria (NRPF)

Expanded FSM

Children eligible through the Expanded category will only be entitled to free school meals. No other additional support is available through this category of eligibility.

Parents in receipt of the following benefits will be eligible for the Expanded category:

• Universal Credit and the household income is above £7400 per year as assessed by HMRC

Automatic eligibility rechecks each year

Once your child is found eligible, they will remain eligible until the end of the school year. Your child’s school will recheck their eligibility towards the end of each year (in June or July). So they know who will be eligible when they return to school in September.

Further information can be accessed here via the Buckinghamshire County Council Website: https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools-index/free-school-meals/