At Alverton School, our aim is to ensure that every pupil, regardless of their background or the challenges they face, achieves high standards across all areas of learning. We are committed to ensuring that all children who are in receipt of Pupil Premium funding are supported to achieve the highest outcomes possible and to thrive within a culture of high expectations.
We understand that some children may face additional challenges, such as those with a Social Worker or Young Carers, and we are committed to providing the support they need to overcome these barriers. Our approach is designed to meet the needs of all our pupils, ensuring that they are given every opportunity to succeed, regardless of their circumstances.
Our approach is designed to support all children, whether in receipt of Pupil Premium or not, with a focus on high-quality, ‘quality-first’ teaching. This ensures that these children receive the specific support they need, helping to eliminate the attainment gap while benefiting all children. By focusing on targeted interventions and continuous support, we aim to sustain and improve the progress of both children who are in receipt of Pupil Premium funding, and those who are not. Each approach we adopt complements the others, working together to help all children achieve their full potential.
Free School Meals and Pupil Premium – am I eligible?
The UK government has expanded free school meals (FSM) eligibility in England from September 2026. Under the new rules, all children in households receiving Universal Credit will qualify for free school meals.
Targeted Free School Meals for the 2026/2027 academic year:
Your household has met the Universal Credit household income threshold (under £7400). Your child/ren will be entitled to a free school meal, a free code to access the Time2Move Holiday Programme during the relevant school holidays (Easter, Summer and Christmas) and the school will receive Pupil Premium funding.
Expanded Free School Meals for the 2026/2027 academic year:
Your household has met the Universal Credit household income threshold (above £7400). Your child/ren is entitled to a free school meal only. Your child/ren will not qualify for a free Time2Move Holiday code to access the T2M Holiday Programme and the school will not receive Pupil Premium funding (brand new claimants only).
Any child who has a protected free school meals status previously, whilst under transitional protection, (which ended on 31 July 2026), will retain their Pupil Premium for six years from the original application even if they are listed as expanded. Only brand-new claimants who are expanded, are not entitled to Pupil Premium.
All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are automatically entitled to receive a free school meal under the Universal Infant Free School Meals initiative, irrespective of household income. Some children in these year groups may also be eligible for Pupil Premium and it is important that parents apply for this if they think that their child may be eligible. When a child reaches Year 3, they will only receive a free school meal if they are eligible for either Expanded Free School Meals or Targeted Free School Meals.
A child is eligible for free school meals if their parent / carer (or the child themselves) receives of any of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods). See above re Expanded Free School Meals where the £7400 threshold does not apply.
- Income Support (IS)
- Job Seekers' Allowance (Income-Based) and equal based Job Seekers Allowance
- Income Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA-IR) and equal based Employment and Support Allowance
- Child Tax Credit (CTC) provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income of no more than £16,190
- Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Guarantee Element of Pension Credit (GPC)
- Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (IAA) Support
Cornwall Council and Free School Meals
Cornwall Council is launching a new approach to ensure more eligible children receive free school meals.
A new process called Free School Meals (FSM) Auto Award is introduced for the 2026/2027 academic year. This new process will use information already held by the Council to identify pupils who may be eligible for FSM. The process includes children who attend a school in Cornwall, and are either:
- a current FSM claimant, or
- a household in receipt of Housing Benefit or Council Tax support from Cornwall Council
Reasons for this change
From September 2026, the Department for Education (DfE) is making changes to free school meal eligibility:
- All households on Universal Credit will be eligible for free school meals (household income thresholds have been removed)
- Free school meals will no longer be ‘protected’ once awarded; eligibility will be checked at the start of each new academic year
To reduce the number of families that need to apply each year, Cornwall Council is introducing a new ‘Auto Award’ system. They will automatically run checks each term, using information already held by the Council, to see if a child is eligible. If your situation changes outside of these automatic checks, you will still be able to apply manually using the Parent Portal.
Information taken from the Cornwall Council website www.cornwall.gov.uk/schools-and-education/schools-and-colleges/school-meals/ which also has a link to let you apply online.