Controversy over Kentmere Primary School encouraging parents to sign up for free school meals

Kentmere Primary School, in Smallbridge, is asking parents to sign their children up for free school meals, if they are eligible, even if they don’t want the meal.

It is understood that for every pupil that is signed up to receive a free school meal, the school receives an additional grant. In the last financial year the grant per pupil was £900.

The school, which is set to join Wardle Academy on 1 February, sent a letter to parents stating: “Whether or not your child does decide to have school dinners, we would ask you to apply for free school meals if you think you might be eligible. Free school meals are available to families who earn less that £16,000 a year. If you apply and are successful your child does not have to have a school dinner if they’d rather not. However, it will mean that more money comes into the school that your child and other children will benefit from.”

Some parents are angry and have described this as “fraud” but headteacher, Sarah Isbeg has defended the move and said: “There are a significant number of children attending Kentmere who are entitled to free school meals but are not registered to receive them, and it is our duty as a school to ensure parents and carers are aware of the criteria that would allow them to register.

“The Pupil Premium is funded by central government and is directly linked to the number of pupils registered for free school meals. As with all schools, we are determined to maximise the funding available that will allow us to improve the outcomes for all of our pupils. By doing so, we will be able to fund more programmes for our children that will give them the best possible start in life, such as more one-to-one support for pupils, more support for children with additional needs and our free breakfast club.”