What is Pupil Premium?

The government provides schools with additional funding to support or enhance the learning of children who are currently entitled to free school meals, or have been within the last six years; this is called Pupil Premium Grant funding. The school can use this money in a variety of ways to give children additional help with their learning, for example, additional adult time in class, purchasing resources which may help them, helping to pay for school visits, etc. However, in order for us to receive the funding, it's essential that parents/carers apply for pupil premium funding. 

Pupil Premium funding is also allocated to schools when a child is from a family with one or both parents in the armed forces or where a child is Looked After by the Local Authority, or has been looked after by the Local Authority in the past. Parents are asked about this when children enrol in the school so that we can access this funding to support children. 

Who Qualifies for Government Free School Meals?

In July 2026, there are two distinct Free School Meal (FSM) systems for infant school children in England: Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) guarantees free lunches for all Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 pupils regardless of income, while Targeted FSM provides extra support for the lowest income households. 

Free School Meals provision operates as follows:

1. Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM)  -  this covers all the children attending Woodfield Infant School (not our nursery provision)

• Who it covers: All pupils in Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 
• How it works: It is an automatic entitlement. Families do not need to prove their income or apply.
• Funding: Schools receive funding from the government specifically to cover the costs of these daily meals. 

2. Targeted Free School Meals (Targeted FSM)

• Who it covers: Children whose families receive Universal Credit and have an annual household income of £7,400 or less (after tax and not including any benefits). It also covers other qualifying benefits such as Income Support and certain types of Child Tax Credit. 
• The Benefits: Children in the Targeted FSM group receive both a free meal and additional school support. This includes Pupil Premium funding for the school to spend on their education, plus access to the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. 
• Action Required: Parents must apply to the local council to receive Targeted FSM. [1]

Why the Distinction Matters

While all infant pupils (Reception to Year 2) receive a free meal under UIFSM, parents with qualifying benefits should still apply for Targeted FSM. Doing so secures extra educational and extracurricular resources for the school by way of pupil premium.

At Woodfield, all children receive a lunch every day as part of the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) scheme. However, in order for us to benefit from the additional funding through the pupil premium grant, parents must register for the free school meal funding if they are entitled to this. 

How do I Apply for Free School Meals?

If you think you might be eligible to apply for free school meals, please click here to apply direct to Shropshire Council: 

https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/free-school-meals/apply-for-free-school-meals/

If you need help with your application, our admin team are very happy to help you and can guide you through this process; please call in at the school office if you would like them to help you apply. 

How Does Woodfield Spend their Pupil Premium Funding?

The report below shows how we have spent the funding last year, what the impact was and how we are spending our funding this year for the benefit of the children at Woodfield.