If your child is eligible for FSM, we want to encourage you to register them.  

Children in Reception (FS2), year 1 or year 2 get free school meals anyway through a different scheme. But if they are eligible for free school meals, we still really want you to register!  

Why register for free school meals? 

Children who are registered for free school meals don’t have to eat them if you prefer them to have packed lunches. 

But registering them is still important because for every child registered for free school meals in the  2025/26 academic year, the school gets an extra £1,515 (in 2025/26) through ‘pupil premium’ funding.  

Every child registered for free school meals makes a big difference to the school. 

You can find more information about pupil premium  here at Pupil Premium . Here you can see what we spent it on in the last academic year and how it will be spent this year. For example, we’ve previously used pupil premium funding for:  

• Subsidising educational visits 

• Extra-curricular activities 

• Educational provision/resources 

• Academic interventions 

• Wellbeing and self-esteem building interventions 

Is my child eligible for free school meals?  

If you receive these benefits, your child may be eligible: 

• Income Support 

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) 

• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 

• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit 

• Child Tax Credit (as long as you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit) if you have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190 

• Working Tax Credit run-on - but not if you receive Working Tax Credit 

• Universal Credit, if your earned income after tax is £616.67 per month (£7,400 per year) or less 

Your child may also get free school meals if you receive any of these benefits, your child is not yet 5 and in full-time education. 

How do I register?  

You can register here Free school meals and milk | Nottinghamshire County Council 

More information 

If you have any questions or specific concerns, please contact the office staff who will be happy to help you.  

You can also find more information at www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals.