Financial/Family Support

Support for Families

Financial help may be available to support your child’s education. This may be in the form of Free School Meals, or support to meet the costs of educational school trips, uniforms or essential equipment.

Free School Meals

Your child could get Free School Meals 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 get more than £16,190 a year)
  • Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
  • Universal Credit (with annual earned income of no more than £7,400 after tax and not including any benefits you get).

Apply today if you receive any of these benefits. It takes 5 minutes and in most cases you will be told straightaway if your child can get free meals at school.

https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/schools-and-education/at-school/free-school-meals/free-school-meals.aspx

Alternatively call  0300 123 4048 if you live in Hertfordshire.

When you call to apply for Free School Meals, please have the following information ready:

  • National Insurance numbers and dates of birth of you and your partner
  • Dates of birth of your children
  • If you receive support from the National Asylum Support Service, your NASS number

Please be assured that the process of purchasing a Free School Meal in the cafe is completely confidential.  Credit will be allocated daily to a pupil’s smart card so that they can purchase a meal each day, in the same way as non-Free School Meal pupils.

The Government has recently extended Free School Meal eligibility to children in all households, with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), subject to maximum income thresholds.  Further information can be obtained from the following website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools-and-local-authorities/providing-free-school-meals-to-families-with-no-recourse-to-public-funds-nrpf

If you feel that you are eligible for Free School Meals under these criteria, please contact the school office for an application pack.

Uniform

School uniform can be purchased from Beats Uniform Store in Hitchin. Parents requiring financial assistance towards the costs can apply for support from the Hertfordshire Educational Foundation. The application form can be downloaded here or you can request a form from the school’s Finance office.

Forms must be returned to:

Hitchin Educational Foundation
c/o Messrs John Shilcock
99 Bancroft
Hitchin
Herts   SG5 1NQ

School Journeys

Financial support (up to 50% of cost) is available for curriculum-related school journeys. To discuss whether you are eligible, please contact the Finance Office.

Other Sources of Financial Support

If you live in Hitchin you can apply to Hitchin Youth Trust for additional financial support. If you live in Ickleford, Pirton, Holwell or Lower Stondon you can apply to Rand’s Educational Foundation. If you live in Letchworth you can apply to The Letchworth Civic Trust for support grants for school trips.