Free School Meals

About Free School Meals 

If you are eligible for free school meals you could be saving yourself hundreds of pounds a year. You could also provide further funding for the school to help with the provision of educational resources to support your child and other children at the school.

Students eligible for free school meals automatically have their student card credited each day, and they can use this allowance at lunchtime to purchase any two items. The system is “invisible”, so students are not aware who is claiming a free school meal.

Parents can top up these accounts via Parent Pay if they want their child to be able to spend more than the free school meal allowance or to make purchases at times other than lunchtime.

Change in Guidelines from March 2025

From March 2025, any existing claimants that no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point (because claimants are earning above the threshold or are no longer a recipient of Universal Credit) will continue to receive free school meals until the end of the students current phase of education (i.e. primary or secondary). This is as per the published Free school meals guidance.

IMPORTANT: This new legislation means that any families with students currently in Year 6 will need to re-apply for their free school meal entitlement before they start Year 7 at Orleans Park.  The entitlement will no longer automatically update from the applicable primary school. 

Here are some examples of what this may look like:

• FSM students in reception will have their FSM entitlement extended to the end of Year 6. All FSM pupils in lower years will have their FSM extended to the end of Year 6.
• FSM students who are in Year 6 now, will have their entitlement extended to end July 2025. If families believes they are still entitled, then they will have to reapply for FSM in secondary school.
• FSM secondary pupils will have their FSM extended to the end of the secondary school phase. 

Can I apply?

Applicants must be in possesion of either a National Insurance number OR a National Asylum Support Service number. 

To be eligible for free school meals you must receive one of the below benefits.

• 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).

How to Apply?

Applications to receive free school meals whilst attending Orleans Park are made directly via the school. Click on the link below to complete your application form:

Free School Meals at Orleans Park School 

You can also access the Free School Meals Eligibility Checker by clicking below:

Eligibility Checker

What Happens Next?

Once we receive your application we will let you know the outcome by email. We aim to do this as soon as possible after receiving your application. 

Contact Information

If you need to speak to someone regarding your application, please email us at freeschoolmeals@orleanspark.school