Free School Meals and Financial Assistance
Free School Meals (FSM)
Registering your child for FSM, benefits your child and generates additional financial help for the school to spend on eligible students. Your child may be eligible if you receive any of the following:
- 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 (as long as you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and you don’t earn over the threshold)
- Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
- Universal Credit (with annual earned income below the threshold and not including any benefits you receive).
To check your eligibility, go here. Following that, if you apply, have your National Insurance number or Home Office number at hand. In most cases, you will be told straight away if your child is eligible to receive free school meals.
Registering for FSM is confidential. If your child is eligible for FSM, there may also be additional financial assistance for things like school equipment, trips and uniform.
If your child does qualify for free school meals, please inform the School's Finance or Learning Support team.
Financial Assistance
There are several local charities that may be able to assist families who meet their criteria and provide financial assistance towards school-related costs, e.g. uniform, trips, etc.
The Harpenden Trust has a Care Fund that supports families and young people in need within Harpenden (AL5 postcode). Families are helped on a confidential basis.
Contact details can be found on their website.
The James Marshall Foundation can assist with the cost of school uniform, educational residential trips, extracurricular activities, study books and career development.
If you live in Harpenden, Flamstead, Kimpton, Markyate, Redbourn or Wheathampstead, you can apply to the JMF for financial assistance by filling out their online application form.
This group helps individuals and families in the local community where there is a specific need, e.g. educational school trips.
More details can be found on their website.
Wheathampstead Community Group
This community organisation supports local families in many ways, e.g. help with study equipment, food costs during school holidays, making up the shortfall for a school trip, etc.
If you would like practical or financial support, contact the Community Secretary for advice.