Free School Meals
The Free School Meal Checking Service is a simple online check to determine eligibility for free school meals which in turn may attract extra funding for the school
Eligible children are entitled to £1.50 for breakfast and £2.30 for lunch daily.
How it works
After entering a few details into the website, the online application process links to the Department for Education database and gives an immediate ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response.
This system is designed to eliminate the need to apply in person for free school meals and improve the claims process for schools. It also means that if you are eligible for free meals, the school is able to process your application using the information you submit.
By way of thanks for your application and support, and regardless of whether the answer returned is a yes or a no, you can claim Sophos AntiVirus software, free of charge, to protect the computers your children use at home. It’s straightforward, there is absolutely no advertising, and you won’t be asked to buy anything! There is no catch, LGfL (a UK education charity) is providing this service to support schools.
To check eligibility, please click here.
Providing free school meals to families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF)
The government have permanently extended free school meal eligibility to children in all households with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), subject to maximum income thresholds.
Schools and local authorities are not able to use the eligibility checking system (ECS) to confirm eligibility for these families as the family will not be in receipt of Universal Credit or legacy benefits. Please email Ms Kingsland at info@ccfplus.com for help applying and confirming eligibility.
Eligible groups
These groups include, but may not be limited to children of:
- Zambrano carers
- families who have no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
- families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
- a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Chen carers
- families holding a BN(O) passport
- spousal visa holders
- work visa holders
- student visa holders
- those with no immigration status
The maximum income threshold differs based on your location and the number of children that your family has.
Guidance: Providing free school meals to families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF)
Forms
To complete an application form with the school directly, please complete and return the below form with accompanying documents to the school office.
School Meals Policy
At CCF we are very proud to have our own in-house catering team supported by Chefs in Schools providing the best quality food for our pupils. This is part of the vision of the school to provide food that supports children at this critical stage of their growth and development. We provide a breakfast, break and lunch service to
our pupils. The canteen serves breakfast from 8am – 8.30am every day.
Daily Spend Limit
At CCF there is a daily spend cap of £5.10 which enable pupils to enjoy a wide range of the food and drink offered by the kitchen. If any parents/carers have concerns about this daily spend cap, would like to reduce or increase their child’s daily limit please do email our head chef, Ms Francis at info@ccfplus.com.
Free School Meals
Pupils who are entitled to free school meals can enjoy a hot or cold meal with a drink and dessert each day.
However, please note:
- This can be used at lunchtime only to purchase a substantial healthy meal
- Any underspend cannot be carried over
- Please top up your child’s school meals account via parent pay if you wish to supplement your child’s daily allowance (ie. to enable your child to also purchase food at break time or additional food items at lunchtime).
- The school is not able to lend beyond the daily FSM allowance.
Breakfast club - Free School Meals/Pupil Premium
To help ensure that our students make the best start to their day, the school also offers a breakfast entitlement to all pupil premium students (which includes FSM students) to the value of £1.50 per day. This can only be used at breakfast time.
Insufficient funds and lends
If a child does not have sufficient money on their school meals account an emergency lend will be given to purchase a substantial healthy meal at lunchtime only.
A text message will be sent home informing a parent/carer if their child has insufficient funds and has been given a lend with a request to top up their child’s school meals account. Lends are given in cases of emergency and are not for regular or continued use. Lends must be repaid upon request. No student will be refused a substantial healthy lunchtime meal. Students with any issues should see a member of the SLT team on duty in the canteen.