Should any families be impacted by Covid over this term or experience other similar problems please email:

covid@saintedmunds.org.uk

Easter Free School Meals Supermarket Vouchers 

The Local Authority are funding families who are entitled to Free School Meals with a food voucher worth £50 per eligible child to cover the Easter period.  Any queries please read the brochure below on how to redeem your voucher but the voucher is only available to use for a limited period.  This voucher will be issued the week of the 21st March 2022 and should be redeemed as soon as possible. Due to the end of financial year no changes can be made to the vouchers by the school after the 29th March 2022. You will need to contact Edenred directly.

Please note that although the vouchers will be issued in the name of one student, the total amount of the voucher will equate to that relevant to the number of students per family, i.e

One student = £50        Two students = £100     Three students = £150

It is important to inform the school of any changes to your email address to ensure that the school holds the most current email for  you so you don't miss out on any key information.   If you have changed your email please email your name and the students name to covid@saintedmunds.org.uk 

All queries regarding FSM vouchers over Easter please contact Edenred customer services directly at freeschoolmeals@edenred.com  or call 0333 400 5932.

Use of Bursary 2021-2022

As you may be aware last year the school received additional finances to support students who are eligible for free school meals.  This money has been used in a variety of ways which you can view via the school website. I am pleased to inform you that the government has funded this again for the current year. It is highly unlikely that this funding may stop next year.

Once again we have decided that it would be beneficial to give parents a ‘bursary’ which they could use at their discretion for the specific needs for the education of their child. This was successful last year in supporting the learning of many students.

We have increased the bursary which now amounts to £120 and is available for parents to use during this academic year.  (This money cannot be given directly to parents) but spent in school at the request of parents.   However, if the technology or building fund has not been paid for this academic year this will be deducted from the bursary.

For example, the bursary could be used to:

• contribute towards the cost of uniform.
• supplement the cost of a school trip.
• pay for specific school related resources.
• pay for work experience (Year 10 only).
• go towards paying the school building fund or technology.
• contribution towards music tuition.
• other agreed expenditure.

As a public funded organisation the school is accountable for the money and must be able to demonstrate proof of expenditure via a receipt.  I am aware that some support has already been given to parents via their bursary. All bursary money needs to be spent by Friday 1^st July 2022 so please ensure if you wish to utilise this for anything i.e. any student transitioning into KS4 to purchase the uniform in advance of the 1^st July.

To access the bursary there is a claim form which needs to be completed prior to any money allocated. (Transactions must total over £10 per claim form).  

If you wish to use your bursary at any time during the academic year or have any further questions please contact Finance on finance@saintedmunds.org.uk  or 023 9282 3766 extension 252 or your child’s Pastoral Leader.  This bursary will only be available during this academic year and I hope that it will help support you in some appropriate way.

Free School Meals (how to apply for FSM)

Parents or carers of children who are entitled to any of the following benefits are entitled to free school meals:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit only, provided your annual household income (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) does not exceed £16,190. Anyone entitled to Working Tax Credit is not entitled to free meals regardless of income
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

• Universal Credit, if your earned income was £616.67 or less in your last monthly assessment period, or less than an average of £616.67 a month over the last 2 or 3 monthly assessment periods

If you think you may be entitled to free school meals please continue to complete this form or by clicking here to complete an online application directly through the LEA.

Follow the link for more information about free school meals at https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals