Dear Parents and Carers
Did you know…
just registering your child for Free School Meals means that the school gets extra money?
Register now to make sure we don’t miss out
The Government is giving money to schools to help children from lower income families do their very best. This funding is called a ‘Pupil Premium’.
With this money we could fund additional support like extra tuition, additional teaching staff or after school activities.
How does it work?
- First, check if you qualify – it is not just if you are unemployed, so please look at the list below.
Registering is really quick and easy – if you think you qualify, registration can be carried out on the Dorset Council’s website - If you want your child to have a free, healthy meal at lunchtime that’s great – they will get the free meal.
- If you don’t want your child to have the school meals they can continue as normal – as long as you qualify and are registered, the school still gets the additional funding.
No one will know you have registered and it will not affect any other benefits you are claiming.
Please Note: Children in Reception, Year 1 & Year 2 are already in receipt of Free School Meals. However, if you believe you meet the criteria overleaf, it is important you register, because this will release additional funding.
Do you qualify?
Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit – 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
- Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
Why your child should have an Aspens hot school lunch
Healthy food is essential for learning. We make sure our menus are full of familiar foods that the children will enjoy.
Healthy body & mind
Research shows that children are able to concentrate better after a hot school meal. This means they’ll be more focused for the afternoon lessons.
Schools have told us that children are often better behaved, calmer and more able to concentrate after they’ve had a cooked lunch.
Our lunches follow strict School Food Standards and are packed full of healthy goodness.
Trying new foods
We make sure our menus have lots of familiar foods and with three choices a day plus a pasta dish it’s easy to find something your children will enjoy. Parents have told us that the children like eating with their friends, and will try new foods with them that they may not try at home! We also offer a daily salad bowl, freshly baked bread, yoghurts and fruit.
Warm and well-fuelled
A good cooked lunch gives children the fuel not only for the afternoon’s learning, but also for after-school clubs – and it saves you having to load them up with snacks when school ends. On a cold day, a hot meal is much better than a sandwich and a bag of crisps too.
Convenient and FREE for Key Stage 1 children
Our nutritious and delicious lunches save you all the time and hassle of having to make packed lunches and takes the pressure off you needing to cook a big meal in the evening too. If your child is Key Stage 1 (that’s Reception, Year 1 & 2) they’ll get our lunches for free. If your child is in Year 3 or above, you could be eligible for means-tested free school meals.
Healthy school
As well as the benefits for the children, lunches are good for the whole school. Better behaved and engaged children make lessons more effective and easier for teachers. A proper lunch makes children more sociable. And we think food education is a really vital part of every child’s learning.
FF Primary Traditional Autumn/Winter menu AF Traditional menuIn this section
