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Free School Meals and Pupil Premium




The Pupil Premium grant is funding to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools in England. The grant also provides support for children and young people with parents in the regular armed forces, referred to as Service Pupil Premium (SPP). Pupils that the SPP intends to support are not necessarily from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.





Pupil Premium funding is allocated to schools based on the number of:

  • pupils who are recorded as eligible for free school meals, or have been recorded as eligible in the past 6 years
  • children previously looked after by a local authority or other state care, including children adopted from state care or equivalent from outside England and Wales

In 2024-2025, Pupil Premium children at Gossops Green can also receive:

  • a free PE or school sweatshirt or cardigan
  • subsidised residential trips (depending on individual circumstances)
  • funding for music lessons and towards instrument hire (depending on individual circumstances)


Free School Meals


Some children are entitled to Benefits-related Free School Meals. All children, from Reception through to Year 6, who are eligible for Free School Meals, receive the following benefits: 

Free school meals from The Diner every lunchtime when they are in school. Parents can choose the meal that their child receives from the menu provided

 


24 days of free holiday clubs from a range of providers, across each year – up to 4 days at Christmas, 4 days at Easter and 16 days in the summer holidays. Children also get a free meal at these clubs



Food vouchers for each school holiday – which amounted to £120 per child over the course of the 2023/24 academic year – £10 during each half term, £30 at Christmas and Easter and £50 over the summer (TBC for the 2024/25 academic year)




Please note that, while all pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to Universal Infant Free School Meals and so are entitled to a free meal from The Diner every lunchtime when they are in school, they are not entitled to the above benefits unless they also qualify for, and parents apply for Benefit-related Free School Meals. Children who are eligible for Benefits-related Free School Meals can still bring in a packed lunch from home if they prefer.


How to apply


If you think that your child may be eligible for Benefits-related Free School Meals, please apply. It is quick, easy and free to apply online. Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

  • 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 – your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

Please click here for further information from West Sussex County Council.

Please click here to apply online

Our staff can be available to help with the completion of forms or to organise a translator in a number of languages. You can also contact Mrs Bullen who is the Pupil Premium leader in the school.