13^th March 2018

Dear Parents/Carers,

ARE YOU ENTITLED TO ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR YOUR CHILD IN SCHOOL?

Did you know that school may be able to access extra funding to support your child through school? The funding is called Pupil Premium and is worth £1,320 for the school to support your child every year. Pupil Premium funding allows us to have additional staff within school, giving us smaller groupings for lessons, as well as funding to purchase additional resources.

1. also means your child will be entitled to a nutritious free school meal and free milk in school. All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 infants are entitled to a universal free school meal; a government scheme. If your child qualifies for a universal free meal and would also qualify for free school meals under the eligibility criteria, please still apply.

If you are eligible you will also be entitled to a £20 ID Uniforms uniform voucher when we receive notification that your child is entitled to Pupil Premium funding.

Parents or guardians are entitled to get Pupil Premium funding for their child in school, free school meals and milk for their child/children if they receive:

• Income Support
• Income based Jobseekers Allowance
• Guaranteed Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit with a total annual taxable income of less than £16,190 and are not receiving Working Tax Credit
• Income related Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit
• Have successfully obtained asylum status
• If you are a foster carer, and receiving a fostering allowance, you are not eligible to claim free school meals for those children you are fostering from school year 3 and above.

Applications can be made in the following ways:

1. Via the Wirral Council website www.wirral.gov.uk/free-school-meals (parents should ignore any negative messages they receive from the eligibility auto checker)
2. Via a paper form submitted at a One Stop Shop or posted to Benefits Service PO Box 290 Wallasey CH27 9FQ
3. Via e-mail to freeschoolmeals@wirral.gov.uk advising full name, address, date of birth, National Insurance number, names of children and schools attended

Please note:

Free School Meals wage threshold eligibility criteria will be introduced from 1 April 2018 for new claims from working parents who also claim Universal Credit (protection is applied to existing claims made up to 31 March 2018).

A wage threshold is to be introduced from 1 April 2018 and anyone who works and successfully applies before 31 March 2018, will get transitional protection so your child(ren) will continue to receive Free School Meals either until 2022 or until your child(ren) finishes their current phase of education, regardless of any increase in your earnings level.

Wage thresholds for working parents who also get Universal Credit will mean some parents will not qualify if they make a new Free School Meals application after 1 April 2018.

So PLEASE, APPLY IMMEDIATELY FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS AND CERTAINLY BEFORE 31 MARCH 2018.

Please note that any information in relation to Pupil Premium is treated in the strictest confidence by school staff.

Many thanks

Mrs C Wright

Headteacher