Shh we wont tell anyone (school)

1more?

there is a new goverment inicitive offering a grant of £400 and something for each child entitled to free school meals this is a new grant starting april 2012 & schools are asking parents to apply even if they do not have the meals
that money is an incredible amount to any school, my school has a nearly 40% free school meal entitlement if everyone claimed it could be nearer 50% we are in a poor area,
we are talking 10 of thousands of pounds here:), our school is a little sceptical of where the money is coming from & if money will be cut from some where else

spicyprawn

iwilldebtfree wrote: »

I read a newsletter a school had sent out today stating that for every child on free school meals the school get something like £440.00 a year for their budget.

I think its £488

jackieb

LandyAndy wrote: »

I agree.

When I was in primary school in the 60s we all knew who the 'poor families' were because they didn't have to walk to the front of the class and hand over their half a crown on a Monday morning.

At our school, those who paid for theirs got paper tickets to hand over at lunchtime, and the ones who didn't got a plastic square token! I remember those with the plastic tokens (I think there was only ever 2 people who got them) and the hard time they got from some pupils.

jellyhead

jackieb wrote: »

At our school, those who paid for theirs got paper tickets to hand over at lunchtime, and the ones who didn't got a plastic square token! I remember those with the plastic tokens (I think there was only ever 2 people who got them) and the hard time they got from some pupils.

In high school they had a register with all the FSM kids marked, so everyone else paid cash but we had to say that we were in the register, then wait while they checked. One day somebody had already ticked off my name It was all rather embarrassing. Much nicer to do it anonymously as they do nowadays!

Buttonmoons

In my little ones school, the parents have to buy the dinner tickets from the office in the morning, so the dinner ladies know a rough figure of how many kids will be needing fed (presumably make up it for the FSM children too, assuming they are all attending)
Parents hand the dinner tickets to the teacher for the week. Nobody is none the wise.

We get FSM, and she does go sometimes, depending what they are serving. Serve pizza far too much though (she wont eat that) She's in today with a tuna sandwich, yoghurt and some cherries (was beef olives today)

Oh Jelly that's a good scheme that active one, I don't think we have it up here though.

Valli

It's definetely funding, although the FSM take-up is how schools are assessed on a like-for-like basis. (League tables - OfStEd compares 'similar' schools and this is how they are identified)

But, at the time of writing, budgets are being cut and school staff are facing compulsary redundancy.

sassyblue

spicyprawn wrote: »

Hi guys and gals , just wanted to share this text I got from the school.

If you think you may be entitled to free school meals even if you do not want them please tell the school office so the school can get more money. We will not share this with anyone else.


What you you think?

Spicy

If they're only claiming for the ones who are having school meals fine, but if they're claiming for other ones who aren't then it's fraud and l don't agree (and l have a 5 year old in school).

I know school budgets are too low but everyone is struggling so they should budget accordingly. I doubt even if they were claiming money they shouldn't that the school would stop asking the parents to contribute for everything they do. My little one starts swimming soon and even though it's funded they're still asking for contributions every week. I also help with fundraising for the school!

If there's any spare money l'd rather it went to the NHS for more nursing staff.

jellyhead

Buttonmoons wrote: »

Oh Jelly that's a good scheme that active one, I don't think we have it up here though.

It's been drastically cut now. I think it's just for school trips now. Still, it means that children can go on every trip. Most of them require coach fare if nothing else, so it's sometimes difficult for large families.

jellyhead

sassyblue wrote: »

If they're only claiming for the ones who are having school meals fine, but if they're claiming for other ones who aren't then it's fraud and l don't agree (and l have a 5 year old in school).

Claiming for everyone who is entitled to free school meals isn't fraud though. I don't think they are claiming the cost of the actual meals, just the extra money that's set aside for children who get FSM.

Just because a parent sends their child with a healthy packed lunch when they are not impressed with the dinner menu doesn't mean that the school shouldn't claim the funding for that child, in my opinion.

alleycat`

sassyblue wrote: »

If they're only claiming for the ones who are having school meals fine, but if they're claiming for other ones who aren't then it's fraud and l don't agree (and l have a 5 year old in school).

I know school budgets are too low but everyone is struggling so they should budget accordingly. I doubt even if they were claiming money they shouldn't that the school would stop asking the parents to contribute for everything they do. My little one starts swimming soon and even though it's funded they're still asking for contributions every week. I also help with fundraising for the school!

If there's any spare money l'd rather it went to the NHS for more nursing staff.

I have to say, reading the original post, that i understood it as the school trying to get the extra money even if the child was not going to utilise the meals.
I thought some of the response glossed over this (and sassy seems to be the first to pick up on it).

To me that is a bit naughty / playing the system.

Bringing it to peoples attention that they may have an option available to them to use is fine but, trying to just get the extra money for the school is a bit off.

As a social observation i find this quite an interesting aspect / change in society.
What people are "entitled" to has become the thing, rather than what they need.

Back on topic, i seem to think that most schools used to have a reduced payment / PTA funded pool of money for activities for low income families (to fund things like swimming, residentials, day trips, etc.)