At Kingshill Infant School, we believe every child deserves to be prepared for a life full of learning. Pupil Premium funding helps schools provide additional support and opportunities for children who may face barriers to learning.

From September 2026, there are two categories of benefits-related free school meal eligibility: Targeted and Expanded. The difference is important because only Targeted eligibility attracts Pupil Premium funding for the school: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium/pupil-premium

Targeted Eligibility:

If your family receives Universal Credit and your annual household net earned income is £7,400 or less, your child may qualify for Targeted Free School Meals.

This means:

• Your child qualifies for free school meals.

• Kingshill can receive approximately £1,550 per eligible child per year in Pupil Premium funding, subject to the applicable funding rules.

• We use this funding to provide targeted support and opportunities to help children thrive academically, socially and emotionally.

Expanded Eligibility:

If your family receives Universal Credit but your annual household earnings are above £7,400, your child may qualify under the Expanded category.

This means your child qualifies for free school meals, but this category alone does not attract Pupil Premium funding for the school.

As Kingshill is an infant school, all our children already receive free school meals. However, registering your child's eligibility is still important because it may help us access additional funding and support where applicable.

How can I check if my child is eligible?

We are happy to help! With your permission, we can check your eligibility using the Department for Education's online checking service.

Please contact the school office and provide the following details for the parent or carer whose benefit information is being checked:

• Full name

• Date of birth

• National Insurance (NI) number

Your information will be handled confidentially and in accordance with our data protection procedures.

Even though your child already receives free meals at Kingshill, please do get in touch if you receive Universal Credit. A quick eligibility check could make a real difference to the additional support and opportunities we can provide for our children.

Please read our Pupil Premium Strategy below: