Weve changed our name!

We are now the Childrens Food Trust. Our new website is at: www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk

Free school meals matter your toolkit overview In this toolkit, youll nd information, advice, guidance and practical tools to help you increase take up of free school meals. Key topics include: why free school meals are so important to pupils, to families and to your school who qualies for them the Pupil Premium easing the application journey for parents removing stigma. The practical resources include: a range of posters parents letters a leaet pupil, parent and staff surveys a free school meals planner to help you track take up progress.

Please note, the documents in this toolkit were created in 2011, so some of the statistics have since changed and will continue to evolve. However, the toolkit remains extremely relevant and we are condent you will nd it very useful. Legislation continues to change and, with the governments universal credit system, qualifying and applying for free school meals is set to change once again. Please visit our website for updates at www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk And we welcome your feedback, so please email us at: info@childrensfoodtrust.org.uk

CFT FSM00

Put simply: when children eat better, they do better

Whether families are paying for school meals or are entitled to them for free, the benets of choosing school meals are numerous. School food has to meet high nutritional standards which guarantee children a healthy, balanced menu, and our research proves that when students eat better at lunchtime in a decent environment, they do better in the afternoon. For children and young people, school meals contribute to the development of good food habits and eating a healthy balanced diet from an early age is critical for growth, development and engagement with healthier food. With national gures6 showing that around one in three children are either overweight or obese by the time they reach Year 6, the rising cost of obesity to the NHS and the fact that there are still many children for whom school lunch remains the only balanced meal they eat in a day, the value of healthy school food simply cannot be overestimated. With the introduction of the Pupil Premium and hundreds of pounds for every child registered for free school meals, there is even more reason for schools to ensure that each child that qualies is actually signed up. Even if just 10 more children registered for free school meals, your school would receive thousands of pounds in Pupil Premium funding for you to use to support those children who need it most. Research shows that children from low-income backgrounds are less likely to do well at school, continue into further education and secure higher paid jobs. We want to buck this worrying trend and to do that, we need to make sure all children are given the best start and that includes their right to a healthy, balanced diet. Free school meals do matter, and we believe that it is vitally important that schools should do everything they can to ensure; a) that all children entitled to free school meals are registered for them b) that all registered children claim and eat their free meals There should be no reason for children entitled to free school meals not to claim them.
1 Fair and Square report, Childrens Food Society April 2012. 2 Childrens Food Trust, local authority annual survey 2011/12. 3 Dept for Education. 4 Average price of a school meal x 38 weeks. 5 DfE: GCSE and Equivalent Attainment by Pupil Characteristics in England, 2009/10. 6 National Child Measurement Programme 2009/10.

F ree School Meals The Figures

1.5 million - the number of pupils who
would currently qualify for a free school meal
1

1.3 million - the number of children in

this county registered as eligible for free school meals 1

200,000 the number of children

registered for a free school meal that do not eat them 2

623 the amount of Pupil Premium

funding that each school will receive per register child 3

350 the amount of money that a parent

could save per child through claiming their free school meal 4

30.9% the percentage of fsm pupils that 58.5% non fsm pupils
achieve a-c grades at GCSE compared to
5

6% - the percentage of free school meal pupils that go on to 6th form compared to 40% of
non free school meal pupils 5

CFT FSM01

Who qualifies for a free school meal?

Parents who live in England / Wales can claim free school meals for their child if they or their partner get one of the following:

Income Support Income-based Jobseekers Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income that does not exceed 16,190
Parents receiving Working Tax Credit for four weeks after their employment nishes are also entitled to free school meals during that period. Children who receive any of the qualifying benets listed above in their own right are also eligible to receive free school meals.

What is Income Support? Income Support is extra money to help people on a low income, who cant work full-time but dont have enough to live on. Its for people who dont have to sign on as unemployed. Whether people qualify or not and how much they get depends on their specic circumstances. What is Income-based Jobseekers Allowance? Jobseekers Allowance is the main benet for people of working age who are out of work or who work less than 16 hours a week, on average. If a parent is eligible, it is paid while they are looking for work. Income-based Jobseekers Allowance is based on actual income and savings. A parent may get this if they have not paid enough National Insurance Contributions to count for the State Pension or other long term state benets (or if theyve only paid contributions for self-employment) and theyre on a low income.

What is Income-based Employment and Support Allowance? The Employment and Support Allowance provides nancial help to people who are unable to work because of illness or disability. It also provides personalised support to those who qualify, who are able to work. Parents are entitled to claim income-based Employment and Support Allowance if they do not have enough money coming in, or they have not paid enough National Insurance Contributions to count for the State Pension or other long term state benets, and they can satisfy the entitlement conditions. This means that they have savings of less than 16,000 and, if they have a partner or civil partner, that person works for less than 24 hours a week on average. Who receives support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999? The Secretary of State may provide, or arrange for the provision of, support for asylum-seekers or their dependents who appear to the Secretary of State to be destitute or to be likely to become so, within a specic period.

What is the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit? Pension Credit is an income-related benet for pensioners living in Great Britain. It is made up of two different parts, Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit. The Guarantee Credit works by topping up weekly income to: 142.70 if you are single 217.90 if you have a partner These amounts may be more for people with disabilities, or people with caring responsibilities or certain housing costs, such as mortgage interest payments. What is Child Tax Credit? Parents with a new baby or those responsible for any children under the age of 16 or under 20 if theyre in full-time education or approved training may be able to claim Child Tax Credit to help with the cost of looking after them. For more information about any of these benet schemes, visit www.gov.uk Some local authorities also offer families on low incomes extra support at their discretion. It is worth exploring whether families at your school would qualify for any of the following;

F ree milk
There is no statutory requirement for milk to be provided in schools or nurseries. It is a matter for local authorities and schools to decide. Where milk is provided, it must be free to children eligible for free school meals. For all other parents, schools can choose to participate in the EU School Milk Scheme, which provides a subsidy to reduce the cost of their milk.

School uniform allowance

Families who are receiving benets or who are living on a low income could be entitled to discretionary grants to help with buying school uniforms. Local authorities that offer these grants set their own criteria for eligibility. Check with your local authority to nd out what is available in your area.

F ree home to school transport

Local authorities provide free home-to-school transport for children, depending on certain criteria. For the latest information, please visit www.gov.uk/help-home-school-transport.

F ree swimming
Some local authorities offer free or reduced-price swimming for children under 16. Check with your local authority to nd out what is available in your area.

Residential visits
Families whose children qualify for free school meals will be entitled to free board and lodging on a residential trip provided: it takes place wholly or mainly during school hours it takes place outside of school hours but it is a necessary part of the National Curriculum it forms part of the syllabus for an examination that the school is preparing the pupil to sit it is part of religious education

CFT FSM10

What is the Pupil Premium?

The Pupil Premium is funding allocated to schools for the specic purpose of boosting the attainment of pupils from low-income families. Funding is based on children registered for a free school meal, further reinforcing the importance of making sure all those who qualify are actually registered.

Why has it been introduced? The Government believes that the Pupil Premium is the best way to address inequalities by providing schools with additional funding to narrow attainment gaps between rich and poor pupils. Which children will benet from the Pupil Premium? Children from low income families who are registered for free school meals and children who have been looked-after continuously for more than six months. From 2012/13, those pupils on the January school census who have been eligible for free school meals in the last six years (known as Ever 6 FSM) and children who have been looked after in public care continuously for more than six months will also benet. Government aims of this funding Key to the governments education reform and social mobility agendas, the Pupil Premium aims to provide support for the poorest children and young people. The Premium is intended to help schools provide targeted support to improve the life chances of the poorest children and young people. It will help them progress further in education and ultimately, in employment opportunities. How does the Government dene underprivileged? Under the Governments criteria, any child that qualies for a free school meal is considered underprivileged. Who actually receives the Pupil Premium? The Pupil Premium will be allocated to schools for pupils in mainstream settings, and schools will decide how best to use the funding for those pupils. For pupils in non-mainstream settings, it will be allocated to the local authority to decide how the funding should be used.

Pupil Prem ium is in addition to schools bu your dget

How much funding will each school actually receive?

Schools will currently receive 623 for ever pupil registered for a free school meal in 2012/13. This gure will rise to 900 per pupil for 2013-14. (As this gure is subject to change, please visit our website at www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk for updates.) This is based on January school census gures for pupils in Reception to Year 11 and for looked-after children on the children looked-after data returns. Where does the money come from? The Pupil Premium is paid by the Government and is in addition to your schools budget. Underlying school funding has been protected at at cash per pupil over the spending review period, meaning that it will rise in line with pupil numbers. The Pupil Premium will provide an extra 2.5 billion a year by 2014-15. How and when will the Pupil Premium be paid? Funding for the Pupil Premium started from April 2011. Eligibility for the deprivation element of the Pupil Premium is based on known eligibility for Free School Meals as recorded in the January School Census for pupils in years from Reception to Year 11. The Premium is being paid to local authorities on a quarterly basis through a specic grant.

Will it always be the same amount? Total funding for the Pupil Premium is 625m in 2011-12, and will rise to 2.5 billion a year by 2012-15.

Can schools spend the money on what they like?

Whilst your school is free to spend the Pupil Premium as you see t, you will be held accountable for how you have used the additional funding to support pupils from low income families. New measures will be included in the performance tables that will capture the achievement of those pupils covered by the Pupil Premium and from September 2012, the Government will also require schools to publish online information about how they have used the Premium. This will ensure that parents and others are made fully aware of the progress and attainment of pupils covered by the Premium.

Will eligibility for the Pupil Premium change in the future? The Government is consulting on the future distribution of the Pupil Premium. The Government is also looking to reform the underlying funding system to ensure that, over time, deprived children in lower funded areas receive the same level of support as other deprived children.

If I am encouraging families to register for free school meals to secure Pupil Premium funding, do they have to take up their meals? The Pupil Premium will be paid on the basis of registration for free school meals, rather than on take up. However, the fundamental purpose of a free school meal is to guarantee a child a tasty, nutritious lunch every day, which has proven benets for their health, their behaviour and their concentration in lessons. As a school working in the best interests of your children, it is important that every qualifying child is encouraged to both register for and take up that right.

How do local authorities fit in?

Local authorities are responsible for passing on the Pupil Premium to schools, and for managing its distribution in respect of looked after children and children in non-mainstream settings. They may wish to look at how its being used within their area, but there is no requirement that they have to do so. There will be some looked-after children that are not in mainstream provision and it will be the role of the local authority to use the Pupil Premium to support these children as per each childs personal education plan.

What about children whose parents are serving in the armed forces?
A Service Child Premium of 250 is paid to schools for those children whose parents are in the armed forces. Eligibility for the Service Child Premium has also been extended in 2012/13 to include children whose parents have died in service and who are in receipt of pensions under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and the War Pensions Scheme (WPS).

Why base the Pupil Premium on eligibility for free school meals? Eligibility for free school meals is the only pupil-level measure of deprivation available and information on levels of eligibility is collected and updated annually. The link between school meal eligibility and underachievement is very strong. At every key stage, the average level of educational attainment for pupils who are eligible for free school meals is lower than for pupils not eligible for free school meals. Therefore free school meal eligibility is a good measure of identifying and targeting underachievement.

Help unde rprivileged pupils reac h their full potential

Support pupils from low income families

Please note, this information was correct as this guide went to print, but may be subject to change.

CFT FSM03

The process of applying for a free school meal differs throughout the country; many areas have worked hard to transform the free school meal application process to make it much simpler and faster through the introduction of instant eligibility checking and online applications. This is not available everywhere in the country, and so it is really important that you know whats happening in your local authority and discuss with them the ways in which they are encouraging parents to apply for a free school meal.
Some parents may feel condent about completing an online form; others would prefer to speak to someone discreetly on the telephone; and many more parents want one-to-one help to apply, especially if English is not their rst language. Thats why its important that schools do everything they can to be helpful, discreet and to make the process as easy as possible. Have a look at each stage of the Free School Meal Application process overleaf, and use it to look at your current system, think about whether there is anything else you could do to help parents and make sure the process is as smooth and as sensitive as it possibly can be.

See the step by step journey inside

Initial Enquiry Best Practice

It is vital that you are in contact with your local authority and know how the free school meal application system works in your area. Talk to your local authority team to make sure you are both providing the same free school meal information to parents and promoting the system that is in place in your area. Make sure all staff fully understand the free school meal qualifying criteria and application process in your school and your area. Give parents information about all the different application options. Check which application methods your local authority is promoting and support them with this. This may be the online address or a named contact and phone number for your local authoritys free school meals registration team. Have our Free School Meals Matter leaet to hand to pass to parents when they make their initial enquiries. If you provide paper application forms in your area, have a pile of application forms in your school ofce ready to hand out discreetly, should a parent ask for one. Be ready to provide information about other potential benets for parents, such as free milk. This can be found in the Who Qualies? resource in our Free School Meals Matter Toolkit. Be proactive and provide free school meal information to all parents - not just those who you think might qualify. Provide a hyperlink from your school website which connects directly to free school meal information on your local authoritys site. Include regular information about free school meals and ways to apply in your school newsletters, check if your local authority has standard text you can use for this.

STEP 1

STEP 2

Application Process Best Practice

Wherever possible, offer parents one-to-one support and help with their application forms. If your administrative staff are unable to offer this, consider other staff who might be able to help. You might have a family liaison ofcer, for example, or a staff member who can help families who dont have English as their rst language. Offer school computer services to families who might need help to apply online. If you cant help families to complete the form in school, make sure you nd a named contact at your local authority who can.

To Avoid
Dont always leave parents to complete their form at home. If English is not their rst language, the form may prove too difcult for them or with their busy schedule they may put it to one side and forget about it. Dont assume that one method of applying is the most appropriate. Make sure you highlight the preferred method if there is one, but also include all the ways in which parents can apply, and emphasise how quick and easy the process is. For parents who arent sure whether they qualify, they may not even bother to explore any further if they think the process is too complicated.

To Avoid
Dont leave the job of encouraging families to register for free school meals to your local authority. Some parents will feel more comfortable speaking with unknown local authority staff on this delicate issue, but others will prefer to speak with a familiar face from school. Dont target parents who you think may qualify for free school meals. This can cause offence and leave others who may not qualify feeling frustrated. Dont talk to parents who are already claiming free school meals about them in a public place to avoid embarrassment or distress. Dont rely solely on posters and leaets to provide information for parents about free school meals. Dont ask for free school meal advice and information from colleagues in a crowded school ofce or reception area. Parents may know members of staff outside of school, and could be left feeling humiliated.

At our school we....

At our school we....

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3
Notication Best Practice
Think about how you can conrm to families that their application has been successful in the most sensitive way. Parents will receive a letter from the local authority; make sure that you are aware of what that letter says. Parents may come to you to seek reassurance that the school is aware of their childs eligibility - and that there will be no delays or problems for their child in claiming their free school meal straight away. Let parents know exactly how free school meals work in your school so there can be no confusion. Its important to keep parents fully informed so they can be condent their child will know what to do.

STEP 4

Eating the Meal Best Practice

Now that the family has registered for free school meals, make sure that the pupil actually eats their meal! Parents are relying on you for this. Invite parents into school for taster sessions, so they can try the food their child will eat. Promote the nutritional benets of school meals and their role in improving concentration. Keep parents involved throughout the year so that they know who they can speak to if they have questions about their free school meals. Give families the information they need for next year too. Make sure you understand whether families need to renew their free school meal application annually in your area or if this is done automatically; this differs across the country and so to be able to advise parents correctly, make sure you are aware of how it works in your local authority area. Make sure parents know that if they no longer claim some benets, or if their working conditions change, they will need to tell your local authority. Let parents know how you have spent Pupil Premium funding, and how it will help their child. Continue to regularly promote free school meals and how to apply throughout the school year and include free school meals information in school information packs for new pupils.

To Avoid
Dont conrm that a parents application for free school meals has been approved in a busy school ofce or reception area. Parents may not want others knowing that they have made an application. Dont confuse parents by giving out information different to that provided by your local authority, make sure you have one message and process that is clear and consistent.

To Avoid
Dont assume that once parents have registered, no further work is required. Parents may understand how the application process works now, but they will need continued support. Dont leave pupils to decide for themselves whether they will actually eat their free school meal. Dont restrict your promotions about free school meals to just once a year. Not everyone will apply, and families may become entitled to apply at any time of the year as their circumstances change. Dont treat pupils receiving free school meals any differently from other pupils, check out the Removing the Stigma of Free School Meals resource in our Free School Meals Matter Toolkit.

At our school we....

At our school we....

STEP 4

STEP 3

Many of our mums dont have English as their first language and are living with a good deal of pressure. Life is hectic so we offer support from language support staff to assist filling in forms.
Paul Hopkinson, Headteacher, Pye Bank Primary School, Shefeld

F ree school meals can be a very sensitive matter, so we have found that the best way to help families is by getting to know them well when the children first arrive in reception. By knowing the circumstances of each and every family, we are best placed to help the parents by directing them towards free school meals, and in some cases assisting with application forms etc. The headteacher and reception team (who carry out home visits prior to the children starting school) have worked very hard at this over the past few years and as a result, the number of pupils who claim free school meals has more than doubled.
Ben Paxman, Deputy Head, Totley Primary, Shefeld

For more information, please contact the Childrens Food Trust. Visit www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk or call 0114 299 6901
CFT FSM11

In England there are currently 1.3 million children eligible for free school meals but only 1.1 million of those eligible children are actually eating their meal. This means that 200,000 children are missing out on all the health benets of a nutritious school lunch.
There are lots of reasons why this is happening, and our Free School Meals Matter toolkit will help you to understand and address them. However, one of the major barriers between children and free school meals is the social stigma often attached to receiving one. The stigma associated with free school meals can effect both a childs and a parents decision to claim meals. Children can feel embarrassed about receiving free school meals and may even suffer from bullying about it. Parents may feel anxious about other parents knowing that they are claiming a benet. Completely removing the peer to peer discrimination that exists for free school meal recipients in many schools is a challenge. Like all prejudices free school meal stigma can manifest in subtle and complex ways. But, there are steps you can take to recognise and minimise the negative effect it can have on a childs willingness to eat a free school meal. We want to ensure that every child entitled to a free school meal can enjoy eating it without fear of embarrassment, so the guidance that follows offers practical ways to adjust your school food provision and service to achieve this. We are always looking for new ideas and examples of good practice to share with schools, and if you use methods not covered on the following pages, wed really like to hear from you. Working together is the best way to stamp out stigma for good. Contact us by emailing: info@childrensfoodtrust.org.uk

Dinner tickets, tokens or coins

Lots of schools provide pupils that qualify for free school meals with separate dinner tickets, tokens or articial coins to give to school lunch staff. Anyone who lives with or works with children will be aware how sensitive they are to differences between themselves and their peer group standing out from their friends because they receive a token for their meals can be embarrassing and may result in a decision not to claim them. Some schools issue each child with a numbered meal ticket that indicates which children are paying for their meals and which are not. Once they become familiar with the numbering system, pupils may be able to tell the difference between free and paid meal tickets and identify which pupils are receiving free school meals.

Things to try
Primary schools Consider an envelope system for all children so that children on free school meals hand in empty envelopes with children who pay for their meals. Consider using wristbands or universal tokens for all the children that have paid and free school meals. If you ask for childrens meal choices for the day at registration, stick to register order, rather than having a separate list for free school meals recipients. Secondary schools You could explore ways to provide all pupils with exactly the same tokens or dinner tickets which can be collected online or from the school ofce. That way, pupils on free school meals can receive tokens discreetly without other pupils being able to tell that their tokens have not been paid for. Consider using a system where pupils or parents pay in advance, such as paying termly using Parent Pay or a smart card system.

Queuing and seating

Queuing or seating arrangements that separate free school meal pupils from those paying for their lunch, unnecessarily identies those receiving free school meals to their peers, and could also mean that they are unable to eat with their friends.

Help parents to feel at ease

It isnt just pupils that can be affected by social stigma; some parents dont apply for free school meals for their children because they worry that other parents will know they are claiming benets. Whether a parent has been receiving benets for some time or a change in circumstances means that they become eligible, embarrassment can prevent them from applying.

Things to try
Lunch sittings can be organised in other ways to manage the ow, for example, seating one year group at a time. Queue time can be reduced by introducing a preordering system, multiple cash points or separate serving areas. Consider implementing one of the payment systems described above to eliminate the need to use queues as a way of keeping track of those that receive free school meals.

Things to try
1) Keep parents informed Provide all parents with information about free school meals before the new school year starts and remind them each term or half term. Offer different channels of communication Provide a name and contact details of someone at the school who can talk to parents about the eligibility criteria and the application process. Whilst some parents may be happy to talk in person, others will feel more comfortable on the phone. Some may prefer the anonymity of going directly to their local authority, or completing an application form online where available. Always be discreet Offer a condential environment for parents to ask questions about free school meals. Similarly, if you ever need to ask a parent about an issue with their childs free school meals entitlement, do this privately and always avoid discussing these issues directly with children. For more information about how you can help parents at all stages of the free school meal application process, refer to our Free School Meal Application Journey wall chart

2)

Meal deals and special dietary requirements

When meal choices available to free school meal pupils are labelled as such or their food choices are limited to certain items on the menu, children are likely to be put off from claiming meals. There are many children whose diets are dened by cultural beliefs or health conditions, so if the choice for children on free school meals that also have special dietary requirements is limited it may mean that theyre unable to choose a suitable meal. 3)

Things to try
We encourage schools to reect the health needs and cultural diversity of their pupils through their school food provision, including those receiving free school meals. Particular consideration needs to be given in secondary schools that operate staggered lunchtimes to make sure that all children with special diets, including those on free school meals, have suitable food available to them when its their turn for lunch. Create meal deals that can be chosen by all pupils and remember that the free school meal allowance should always be set so that it is enough to cover a main meal, dessert and a drink. Grab and go meal deals give pupils on free school meals more choice and the opportunity to eat with friends. For schools that only provide a packed lunch service, think about how you could give out the free packed lunches provided by the school to make it anonymous. You can do this by encouraging free school meal pupils to bring in their own lunchboxes and exploring ways to store all packed lunches together.

When I was at school we all knew who was on free school dinners as they were given a token and I can remember thinking even then that it was wrong that others should know who was on them.
Mumsnet parent

Cashless systems
Cashless systems can be a highly effective long term strategy to tackling the problems of stigma surrounding free school meals. By removing cash from school canteens, free school meals pupils are immediately given anonymity. In March 2008 the School Food Trust conducted research into cashless catering systems and identied the following benets; For pupils Reduces queuing time by speeding up delivery at the point of sale Removes stigma for free meal pupils by protecting their anonymity at the point of sale Removes cash from pupils pockets so reduces the opportunity for bullying or theft Easy to use For parents Can pay by cheque or notes directly to the school administrator or catering manager which ensure the money is used to purchase a school lunch. Can pay on-line and access information about their childs account Can pay by direct debit through the local authority or school portal Can request a report on the eating habits of their child Can set a daily spend limit

Smart cards One popular option for schools is to use smart cards. Each pupil is provided with a card which they use to pay for their school meals. Free school meal pupils automatically have a certain amount of money put onto the card so that their card is swiped at the till, as do the other pupils. If the money is not spent that day the amount will not be carried over to the next day. For those that are paying for their meal, cards can be topped up like a travel card at special machines; money can be added online via the school website or via cheque paid to the school ofce. Some schools have multifunction cards that double as bus passes and library cards. Schools often report that multifunction cards are less likely to be lost because pupils value them more and look after them better. Schools can also monitor what children have been eating and encourage healthier choices if necessary. Catering teams can determine which dishes are popular and on which days and adjust their menus accordingly. Smart card technology can highlight known allergy triggers at the till. Parents too can monitor what their child has been eating through a secure section of the school website.

Our cashless catering system has been fundamental to our ability to serve over 80% of the school population within a one hour lunch. The system helped manage queuing, encouraging uptake of meals as pupils are guaranteed hot food. All pupils are treated equally, with no identification of pupils receiving free school meals. Uptake of healthy school meals improved learning and behaviour in afternoon lessons and cashless catering has played its part in this.
Sharon Watters, RD Specialist School Dietitian, St Aidans C of E High School, Harrogate

I remember in high school when queuing up to get into e the canteen I used to hav for to ask the dinner lady my fake 50p coin which was then used to purchase the food I wanted. It was so embarrassing.
Mumsnet parent

Biometric systems Biometrics is the latest technology used in schools which works using the same principles as smart cards but has the added benet that pupils do not have a card that can be lost or stolen. Instead, they use ngerprint recognition to identify themselves. Typically, pupils top up their funds by placing their nger on the machine which recognises their existing credit details. Pupils on free school meals can also top up their daily allowance in the same way. Fingerprint recognition can save on queuing time and on the cost of replacing lost or stolen cards.

Please Note: It is very important that you undertake a full consultation with parents if you are considering a Biometric System. Some parents are reluctant for their children to use nger print technology due to concerns about data security and privacy controls. Schools must clearly communicate to parents how the system works and how the data will be used before implementing biometrics. They should also obtain written permission and conrmation from each parent that they are happy for their child to be registered on the system.

www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk
CFT FSM12

To help you maximise your free school meal numbers

Here are our top tips for free school meal success! All these tips are tried and tested recommendations from schools that have been successful at increasing their free school meal registration and take up numbers so were condent that there will be something here that can help you, whether its simple tweaks to your current system or long term strategic changes.

Provide different school lunch options

Pupils often tell us that lunchtime at school is inexible and too time consuming. Listening to pupil feedback about lunchtime and tailoring your service accordingly, will help to meet their needs to refuel, recharge and spend time with friends during the lunch break. If you can provide a variety of choices, such as having packed lunch and grab and go options alongside the hot menu, school meals are likely to be more appealing to both paid for and free school meals pupils.

As part of a series of improvements to their school meal service, Warrier St Walker Primary School in Newcastle introduced a school-provided packed lunch bar. Pupils select ve items from the bar a sandwich, salad, fruit, home made sweet and water or milk and can eat the packed lunch outside the canteen.

The immediate impact has meant more choice for the children. The move from home packed lunch to school packed lunch can now be seen. Children entitled to free meals now have the opportunity to have a packed lunch. School meal numbers have been maintained and show a positive increase overall.
Josette McDonald, School Cook

Welcome partnership working

By working in partnership with community groups, parents can be made to feel more comfortable about making an application for free school meals. Speak to religious and community groups about the barriers that may be preventing parents from claiming for free school meals for their children, and work with them to take positive action to overcome them. Engage with voluntary groups, sports clubs and other community leaders to ensure that a consistent message is being given to parents about the benets of school meals. Take advice from religious and community groups about the options available on the menu and ask them to inform parents of the suitability of the meals. Taking an inclusive approach will help to build relationships between the school and local community and will allow learning in both directions as school staff become more aware of cultural beliefs and dietary needs.

Encourage teachers and pupils to eat together

Schools often tell us that when teachers and other school staff are encouraged to eat with children in the dining room, it has a positive impact on the atmosphere at lunchtime. Not only does it help to improve staff/ student relationships, it also provides reassurance for younger pupils who may be trying new foods for the rst time. If you try this approach in your school, let parents know. Sometimes, parents are concerned that if their child has a paid for or free school meal that they will go hungry because there are certain foods they dont like a supportive environment can make a difference to a childs attitude to new foods.

F ood labelling
For cultural or religious reasons, or due to special dietary requirements, some children receiving free school meals may feel that the food on offer is not suitable for them. Clearly labelling the food on offer and taking care when naming your dishes will enable pupils to feel more condent about the food choices on offer. This will allow pupils to select a meal that is suitable for them. For children with specic dietary needs, parents need to feel reassured that these will be fully met if they choose school meals. We encourage schools to develop a procedure to ensure that a request for a special diet is handled effectively and its good practice for the need to meet individual requirements to be written into any contracts with caterers. Some catering providers and local authorities already have policies and procedures in place talk to your caterer to nd out if this is the case. For secondary schools operating a staggered lunchtime, its important that catering staff make sure that children on free school meals with special diets have a suitable meal available to them when its their turn to eat.

Ben Paxman, Deputy Head, Totley Primary School

We have teachers (on a rota basis) eat with the pupils too. Its a really good opportunity to show that eating can be social, it helps with their table manners andhelps to replicate eatingin a family environment. We try and get the parents wherever possibleto sample the food too so pupils are bringing in the dads and granddads for a dads and lads fathers day next week.

Incentive schemes
Reward schemes are an effective way of encouraging children to choose a school meal. Lots of schools reward pupils with discounts on meals, but to make sure that those children on free school meals also benet, you could try giving away music vouchers or sports equipment when they make a number of healthy choices over a period of time.

Could you invite other partners, such as the school nurse or a family liaison ofcer to take part in parent sessions to talk about the health and nancial benets of free school meals? Letting staff know how they can support the schools aim to increase take up of free school meals will result in further support being available to parents and families.

Sue Elliot, Assistant Headteacher, Wallasey School, Wirral

We did a brilliantmotivational rewards incentive scheme where kids would get mobile phone top up vouchers if they made healthy lunch time choices. Take up of school meals and free school meals went up 25%.

Social stigma can be a barrier between children and free school meals
The system you use to identify the number of paid for and free school meals required each day can directly affect a parents decision not to choose free school meals for their child. Parents need to be reassured that their children are not made to feel different from their peers because they receive free school meals. Consider reviewing your current system and how it could be improved to protect children on free school meals from feeling uncomfortable about eating them. For further advice on this topic, consult the Removing the Stigma of Free School Meals and The Free School Meal Application Journey documents in this Toolkit.

Take every opportunity to keep parents informed

Speaking to parents about free school meals doesnt need to be restricted to the start of the school year. Parents work and personal circumstances can change at any point, so try to provide information about free school meals throughout the year. Make use of our Free School Meals Matter Leaet and print some copies for the school ofce and reception area for parents to pick up at their own convenience. You could also talk to your local authority to nd out if they have free school meal promotional resources specic to your area.

We use parent learning workshops, fortnightly coffee meetings and termly open evenings to encourage all parents to take advantage of free school meals. We approach every parent that does not register to ensure they are not missing out.
Paul Hopkinson, Headteacher, Pye Bank Shefeld

Use a whole school approach for free school meals

To make sure your approach to free school meals is successful, its vital that the whole school community gets behind the idea that increased take-up of school meals, and in particular free school meals, brings benets to childrens health and behaviour. All teaching and non-teaching staff have a valuable role to play in making sure that the most vulnerable children receive their entitlement to a healthy, nutritious lunch. Do you have a member of staff with multiple language skills who could translate school menus and communicate with families that have English as a second language about school meal options? Is there someone at your school who could volunteer to help parents with free school meal application forms?

Invite parents for lunch

Inviting parents into school to try food from your menu will help to dispel any preconceived, negative ideas they have about free school meals and school meals in general. Its also an opportunity to show off what you can do and help parents to see for themselves how good school meals can be.

We have brought many difficult and reluctant parents on board with the eatins and the key is the fact that the food is good and the children love it. We still invite all those who have concerns or who ask questions about the school dinners. Developing better relationships with the parents and the carers as they know how much we actually care about their children, has been a real bonus.
Mrs Buraine, Headteacher, Langford Primary School, Fulham

Consider a stay on site policy

Seeing their friends leave the school premises at lunchtime to buy food elsewhere can be difcult for pupils on free school meals. Allowing secondary school pupils to leave school at lunchtime reduces the likelihood that those entitled to free school meals will stay in school. Introducing a stay on site policy can create challenges, but many schools have reaped the rewards of such a move. Lots of schools have found that by making the switch they are able to have more control over the type of food that pupils eat at lunchtime. They also often see an increase in the number of free school meal registered pupils claiming their meals because they can sit with friends. Working in partnership with Rochdale Facilities Management, St Annes School revamped their school meals service to create a high-street style eating concept and menus. The introduction of a biometric system saw an immediate reduction in queuing as well as addressing the stigma attached to free school meals. Free school meal take-up rose from 61% to 86%.

Tell parents about the benets of a healthy school meal. Since the introduction of national school food standards, Childrens Food Trust research shows children who have had a healthy school meal in a pleasant dining environment concentrate better in afternoon lessons. For more information about school food standards, visit www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/the-standards

Improve the dining room

Childrens Food Trust research shows that children are more likely to choose a school lunch when they have an attractive and calm dining space to eat in. Long queues which restrict time to play and socialise are a barrier to both free and paid school meal take up. Changes to lighting, seating and layout can be made without spending lots of capital funds and we encourage schools to involve pupils when looking at ways to improve their dining spaces. Lots of schools nd that pupils are more inclined to use the dining room when they have been part of the process to improve it.

Eric Jackson, Headteacher, St Annes School, Rochdale

We are committed to a stay on-site policy. With almost 42% of pupils eligible for a free school meal, it was crucial that the catering service and facilities would entice students to stay on-site for a school lunch.

Packed lunches
Some parents dont realise the nancial or time savings that can be made when they choose free school meals for their children, which can be up to 350 spent on paid school meals or up to 190 hours (nearly a week!) a year making school lunches. The posters within our Free School Meal Matters Toolkit highlight these savings and can be displayed in reception areas and on notice boards. Think about alternative display opportunities such as in childrens centres, doctors surgeries or community halls. You can also demonstrate the family savings of free school meals compared to paying for packed lunches at parents evenings and community events.

Improve the quality of all school meals

The overall quality and variety of the food on offer will inuence a pupils decision to choose school meals. Use our Free School Meals Matter Surveys to nd out what pupils and staff really think about the food at your school. You may nd that there are some simple changes you could make straight away, for example, introducing a grab and go selection to save on queuing time and give pupils the option to eat outside the dining room. Longer term, you could set up a focus group to discuss what options pupils would like to see on the menu so that you can offer their favourite meals as part of a menu cycle that meets the national school food standards. Its also very important to make sure that the free school meal allowance is set so that its always the equivalent cost of a complete meal. You may wish to support healthier eating at your school by introducing a packed lunch policy. On average, packed lunches are higher in sugar, salt and fat than school meals. Where implemented in consultation with pupils, parents and staff, packed lunch policies can improve the nutritional quality of the food consumed by all pupils.

www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk
CFT FSM13

Claim your free school meal...

m or e d e v a s I a nd 0 5 3 t h a n of t i me o n hours g lunches ma kin

ious t i r t , nu r y day y t s a at eve I get for free l me a

Our sch o gets hu ol for ever ndreds y r e g i s t er ed pupil

...and everyones a winner!

today. ol or your council about free school meals scho r you to talk lify qua you if out nd To foodtrust.org.uk For more information, visit www.childrens

Free School Meals

Your child may be entitled to receive free school meals if you are entitled to receive one of the following: Income Support Income-based Jobseekers Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income that does not exceed 16,190

Think of the time youd save

You could save up to 190 hours a year, which is the time needed to make packed lunches that meet the nutritional standards of school meals thats just over a week!

Savings for your family

You could save around 350 per year if your child qualies for free school meals.

Our school will receive extra funding

Our school receives hundreds in Pupil Premium funding for every child registered for free school meals.

For more information and to nd out if you qualify

Talk to your school or your local council about free school meals today!

CFT FSM02

Q1. What year is/are your child(ren) in at this school? (please tick) Reception Year 5 Year 10 Year 1 Year 2 Year 6 Year 7 Year 11 Sixth Form Year 3 Year 8 Year 4 Year 9

Q7. Based on the following criteria, do you qualify for free school meals? Parents who live in England / Wales can claim free school meals for their child if they or their partner get one of the following: Income Support Income-based Jobseekers Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income that does not exceed 16,190 Yes No If No go to Q16 Q8. Have you registered for a free school meal this year? Yes No If No please go to Q14 Q9. How did you register?

Q2. What do they usually eat for lunch? (please tick) Child 1 Child 2 Child 3 School Meal Meal at home School Meal Meal at home School Meal Meal at home Packed Lunch Other Packed Lunch Other Packed Lunch, Other

Q3. How often does/do your child(ren) eat a school lunch? (please tick) Every day 1-2 times a week If never go to Question 6 Q4. Which of these affects your decisions about whats best for your child(ren) to eat at lunch? (please select all the factors that affect your decisions, and rank them in order of importance: 1 = most important) Tick Rank Quality of food My childs preference
Whether they will eat a main meal in the evening

3-4 times a week Occasionally Never

Dining facilities in school Range of menu choices Portion sizes Cost Convenience Other, please specify:

Q10. How did you nd the registration process? Simple Ok A bit tricky Very difcult Q11. Is there anything more we could do to make the application process easier for you?

Q5. Are you aware of our menu choices for the day/ week in advance? Yes No Not sure Q6. Are you aware that some families may be able to claim free school meals? Yes No

Q12. Does your child eat their free school meal? Yes No Dont know If yes please go to Q16 If No, Why not? Poor food No time Prefer to eat with friends Bullying Too embarrassed Other Q17. Have you ever tried the food at school? Yes No If No would you like the opportunity to try school meals for yourself? Yes No Q18. Do you think your child(ren) have enough time to eat and enjoy other activities during their lunch break? Yes No Not sure Q13. What could we change to encourage your child(ren) to eat their free school meal? Q19. Do you think that we actively promote school meals? Yes No Q20. Overall, are you satised with the quality of food offered at our school? Yes No Not sure Please explain the reasons for your response? (e.g. I have tasted the meals; my child tells me.) Q21. Are there any improvements you would like to see made to our school meals?

Q14. Why have you not registered for free school meals? Didnt know I was eligible Dont know how to Religious/Cultural reasons Social stigma Other

Q22. Do you have any further comments on our school meals? Q15. What more could we do to encourage you to register for a free school meal?

Thank you for taking the time to complete our survey! Please drop completed surveys in at the school ofce or post them to school Q16. Do you think free school meal children can be identied in school? Yes No Dont Know If yes, how?

CFT FSM14

Q1. About you: (please tick a box) I am a Boy Girl

I am in (please tick a box) Reception Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

Q2. What do you usually eat for lunch? (please tick one box) School meal Packed lunch Food at home Snack bought outside of school

Q3. Who chooses what you eat? (please tick one box) Me My mum My dad My carer Someone else in my family Someone else

Q4. Do you enjoy your lunch? (please tick one box) Yes No Not sure

Q5. Do you have enough time to eat and play with your friends at lunch break? (please tick one box) Yes No Not sure

Q6. What is the dining room like? (please tick one box) Very nice OK Noisy Smelly Scary Not enough space

Q7. How many times do you eat a school lunch? (please tick one box) Every day Sometimes 3-4 times a week Never 1-2 times a week

(if never go to Question 12)

Q8. How tasty are lunches at your school? (please draw a circle around the face that shows how you feel about school lunches) Brilliant! Horrible!

Q9. Do you eat all of your school lunch? (please tick one box) Yes every day Yes, most days Sometimes Never Q10. Whats the best thing about school lunches?

Q11. Whats the worst thing about school lunches?

Q12. If you were in charge, what would you change to make school meals better? (please tick one) Taste of food Cost of food How much food I have Tables and chairs Who I can sit with Background noise

Q13. If you never have school meals for lunch, why not? (Please choose a reason or write your own) Reason
It costs too much I dont like what is on the menu I usually eat a main meal in the evening instead I dont like the taste of school meals

The reason is:

Q14. If you bring a packed lunch, what would make you change to having a school dinner?

Thank you for giving us your answers. Have a lovely lunch!

CFT FSM15

Q1. About you: (please tick) Male Female I am in Year (please tick) 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Q7. Does your school ever offer meal deals or special offers like meal of the day? (please tick) Yes No Not sure Q8. Do you have enough time to eat and do all the other activities you want to during your lunch break? (please tick) Yes No Sometimes I run out of time Q9. Do you ever leave school grounds during the lunch break? (please tick) Yes No Sometimes Q10. If you never have school meals for lunch, why not? (please select all the factors that apply to you, and list them in order of importance: 1 = most important) Tick Rank It takes too long The queues are too long The quality of the food is too poor I dont like the taste of the food I dont like the menu choices The portion sizes are too small The portion sizes are too big I dont like the dining room They are too expensive I need time for activities The dining room is too noisy The older pupils push in I will usually eat a main meal in the evening Other reason please tell us what it is:

Q2. What do you usually eat for lunch? (please tick) School meal Packed lunch from home Snack bought on the way to school Food bought and eaten off the school premises Meal at home Q3. How often do you eat a school lunch? (please tick) Every day 3-4 times a week 1-2 times a week Occasionally Never (if never go to Question 10) Q4. Which of these affects what you choose to eat for lunch? (please select all the factors that affect what you choose and list them in order of importance: 1 = most important) Tick Rank How long it takes Quality of food Taste Range of menu choices Portion sizes Dining facilities in school Cost Whether I will eat a main meal in the evening Other reason please tell us what it is:

Q5. If you have eaten school lunches recently, how would you describe them? (Please tick one) Delicious Good Ok Disappointing Horrible Q6. Do you have any say in what foods are offered? For example, are you asked for suggestions about what goes on the menu? (please tick) Yes No Not sure

Q11 Are you registered to have a free school meal? (Please tick) Yes No Dont know (If your answer is no or dont know go to Q17)

Q12. Do you eat your free school meal? (Please tick) Yes No Sometimes If no, why?

Q17. Do you know which pupils eat free school meals? (Please tick) Yes No If yes, how?

Q13. Do your friends know that you qualify for a free school meal? (Please tick) Yes No If Yes How do they know?

Q18. Whats the best thing about school lunches?

Q19. Whats the worst thing about school lunches?

Q14. Can you buy enough for your lunch with the free school meal allowance?

Q15. Have you ever felt worried or embarrassed about free school meals? (please tick) Yes No Dont know If yes please explain

Q20. What is your schools dining room/canteen like? (Please tick) Very nice OK Very poor Please can you explain why you think that?

Q21. Is there anything you would do to improve your schools lunches?

Q16. Is there anything more we could do to improve free school meals?

Thank you. We appreciate you taking the time to answer these questions. Have a nice lunch!

CFT FSM16

Q1. How often do you eat a school meal? (Please Tick) Every day Once a week Once a month Once a term Never If you have answered every day go to Q3 Q2. Why do you not eat a school meal every day? (please select all the factors that apply to you, and list them in order of importance: 1 = most important) Tick Rank I dont have time to go to the dining hall The food is poor quality I dont like the taste of the food I dont like the choice of food The portion sizes are too small The portion sizes are too big I prefer to eat a packed lunch I need time at lucnhtime to prepare for the afternoons lessons The dining room facilities are not pleasant I dont like eating with pupils I want to have a break from pupils at lunch time They are too expensive I will usually eat a main meal in the evening Other reason please tell us what it is

Q5. How could we improve our dining room/canteen?

Q6. How do teaching staff liaise with the catering staff about school meals?

Q7. Do you ever encourage pupils to eat a school lunch? Yes No If yes, how?

Q8. Do you think that pupils benet from having a school lunch rather than a packed lunch? (please tick) Yes No If yes, what do you think the benets are?

Q3. How would you describe our school meals? (Please tick) Delicious Good Ok Disappointing Horrible Q4. What do you think of our dining room/canteen? (please tick) Very nice OK Very poor Please can you explain why you think that?

Q9. Do you know which pupils in school have free school meals? (please tick) Yes No If yes, how do you know?

Q12 What else do you think we could do in school to promote free school meals?

Q10. Do you think that pupils know which other pupils have free school meals? (please tick) Yes No If yes, how do you think they know?

Q13 Do you know what parents should do if they want to nd out more about free school meals? (please tick) Yes No If yes, please give details

Q14. What would you do to improve our schools lunches? Q11. Why do you think that some pupils registered for free school meals are not eating their meal? (please tick) They dont like the food They prefer to spend the time doing activities The lunch period is too short Prefer to eat with friends who have a packed lunch They are bullied in the dining room They are too embarrassed Other (Please give details)

CFT FSM17

 <Your usual school address and date> Dear Parents and Carers, There are many things to think about in preparation for your child starting a new school and what they are going to eat when theyre at school is likely to be one of them. If your child is eligible for free school meals it means they can enjoy delicious, healthy meals without the bills and the fuss of making packed lunches. Many children at our school are already eating free school meals, and your child may be able to have them too.

For e ditab le te m plea se re plates o ft fer to refer his letter ence a mate nd more rials l on y etters to our f ree s use duri n choo l me g the sch als m o atter ol year, CD.

**Pa

rent

Lett

er S

ampl

e**

School meals will give your child a real appetite for learning and help them to achieve their full potential. There is nothing healthier for your child and your familys budget than free school meals. As professional cooks prepare the meals for your child, it saves you having to worry about the effort and expense of making packed lunches every day. Your child may be entitled to receive free school meals if you are entitled to receive one of the following: Income Support Income-based Jobseekers Allowance Income-related Employment and Support Allowance Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit Child Tax Credit, provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income that does not exceed 16,190 Savings for your family If you were planning to pay for your child to have school meals or are already doing so, you could save around 350 per year if your child qualifies for free school meals. Think of the time youd save If your child is eligible and has free school meals instead of packed lunches, you could save up to 190 hours a year, which is the time needed to make packed lunches that meet the nutritional standards of school meals thats just over a week! Our school will receive extra funding For every child registered for a free school meal, the school will receive money to spend on extra resources. Its called the Pupil Premium and is worth 623 per pupil in 2012-13. To make sure your child doesnt miss out, contact: <Named contact at your school if applicable> <Named contact at your local authority> <Telephone number> <email address> <postal address> <opening hours> <website for online application form if applicable> Yours sincerely, <enter name> <enter title>

CFT FSM21

Claim your free school meal...

m or e d e v a s I a nd 0 5 3 t h a n of t i me o n hours g lunches ma kin

ious t i r t , nu r y day y t s a at eve I get for free l me a

Our sch o gets hu ol for ever ndreds y r e g i s t er ed pupil

...and everyones a winner!

today. ol or your council about free school meals scho r you to talk lify qua you if out nd To foodtrust.org.uk For more information, visit www.childrens

FSM07

Save up to 40 per child every month

Register for free school meals today!
To nd out if you qualify and for more information see below:

Ask at your child's school or your local council for more information.

FSM18

Why your child should eat a free school meal...

Better concentration in class Healthy, nutritious food Save up to 350 per child each year

today. To nd out if you qualify talk to your school or your council about free school meals For more information, visit www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk

FSM19

Its now time to decide your plan of action to increase free school meal registration and take up at your school; use this planner to create your own personalised free school meal strategy.
Decide what your challenges are and which of the tools and resources within the Free School Meals Matter Toolkit you can use to address them. Making someone responsible for each action and giving them timescales to stick to is important to ensure things get done on time. Make sure you review all of your actions to see if they can be improved or changed next time. Below in the planner, use the grid to plot your free school meal registration and take up gures to see how effective your strategies have been.

See the planner inside

WHAT
What free school meal related challenges do you have?
E.g. Encouraging parents to register for free school meals.

HOW
How will you tackle these challenges?
E.g. Put up free school meals matter posters in reception areas.

WHO

Who will be respo

E.g. Reception staff.

F ree School Meal Registration and Take Up

Week Number of free school meals eaten Number of pupils registered for free school meals Week Number of free school meals eaten Number of pupils registered for free school meals * Please note: free school meal registration gures should only be recorded every 4 weeks (please do not ll in where the areas are 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

WHEN
When will this be carried out?

REVIEW
Have your free school meal gures changed? What could you do differently next time?
E.g. Our registration gures are up from 53 to 60. We found that some parents dont see the posters in reception so we put some at the school gates.

onsible?

E.g. At the start of term in September.

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

shaded)

For more information, please contact the Childrens Food Trust. Visit www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk
CFT FSM20