free school meals | Schools Week

How the government’s free school meals voucher scheme is leaving children without food

“I’ve got nothing. No milk, no bread, no food, nothing.” That was the voicemail message a school received from a sobbing parent who had been waiting two weeks for her free school meal vouchers to arrive. My shopping costs have gone up by £30-£40 a week with the children home. These vouchers are needed…it’s making […]

Coronavirus: Aldi joins national free school meal voucher scheme

The supermarket chain Aldi has joined the government’s national free school meals voucher scheme. Vicky Ford, the children’s minister, said in a written ministerial statement that the brand would be accepting the vouchers provided through the government’s supplier, Edenred. According to the firm, vouchers obtained through the scheme will be redeemable in Aldi stores from […]

Coronavirus: Thousands of pupils with ‘no recourse to public funds’ to get free school meals

Children usually denied free school meals because of their parents’ immigration status have been granted temporary eligibility during the coronavirus outbreak. This is a welcome, albeit temporary, roll-back from another of the government’s hostile environment policies Legal experts estimate that thousands more children will now be able to receive free meals or vouchers following a […]

DfE urges schools to stop checking swamped free meal voucher website, as system labelled ‘farcical’

Schools are being urged not to revisit the government’s national free school meal voucher website unable to cope with demand as leaders label the system a “farce”. The website for Edenred, the voucher supplier, was “offline” for the whole Easter weekend so it could be upgraded to meet overwhelming demand as families living in poverty […]

Coronavirus: Schools CAN claim for own meal vouchers – but only if they meet funding criteria

Schools can apply to claim back the costs of issuing their own free meal vouchers if they decide not to use the government’s scheme, it has been confirmed. But headteachers have demanded clarity from the government about the criteria schools will have to meet to qualify for emergency funding. The DfE launched its national voucher […]

DfE says Easter holiday FSM funding is one-off

The government has announced it will reimburse schools that have paid for free school meals for children out of school over the Easter break – but the support won’t be rolled-out over future holiday periods. In updated guidance released today the Department for Education has stated “free school meals should be offered to eligible pupils […]

Free school meal vouchers WILL now be available over Easter

The government has today made a U-turn on its refusal to pay for free school meal vouchers over Easter – saying they will now be available to “support household income”. Former education secretary Michael Gove, speaking at today’s coronavirus briefing, also said the government is “conscious more must be done”, particularly over holidays, to help […]

Coronavirus: Schools and councils step up to feed pupils over Easter

Schools, councils and academy trusts are delving into their own finances to make sure poorer pupils stuck at home during Easter continue to get free meals. The Department for Education finally launched a national scheme this week to provide £15 weekly vouchers for pupils entitled to free school meals. Our conclusion was that it’s our […]

Coronavirus: Pupils won’t get free school meal vouchers during Easter holidays

A national voucher scheme aimed at keeping the poorest children fed during school closures will not run throughout the Easter holidays, the Department for Education has confirmed. The government confirmed today that it was pressing ahead with its plans to issue £15 weekly supermarket vouchers to families for pupils who would normally qualify for means-tested […]