Infant Free School Meals

The government has provided guidance on the increase to free school meal funding to schools. Schools will receive £2.53 for all eligible pupils, increased from £2.41 currently. The uplift will be backdated to April 1.

The grant supports schools in delivering the legal requirement to offer free school meals, meeting the school food standards to all their reception, year 1 and year 2 pupils. Subject to meeting this legal duty, schools may spend the grant for the purposes of the school; that is to say for the educational benefit of pupils registered at that school, or for the benefit of pupils registered at other schools.

They may also spend it on community facilities, for example services whose provision furthers any charitable purpose for the benefit of pupils at the school or their families, or people who live or work in the school’s locality.

Schools do not have to spend the entire grant in the financial year beginning 1 April 2023; they may carry forward some or all of the grant.

Public Health have produced a leaflet for Devon schools to circulate to parents to highlight the benefits of FSM uptake, with a QR code that links to the Devon Citizen Portal where parents can check eligibility and apply.