Free school meal eligibility expanded in the 2026–27 academic year.  Qualifying for a free meal does not always mean a child generates Pupil Premium funding. Below we have clarified the new eligibility criteria and what this means for our families. 

What are Expanded Free School Meals?

Expanded Free School Meals give children a free school lunch if their household receives Universal Credit, earns more than £7,400 a year after tax (excluding benefits) and does not qualify for Targeted Free School Meals.

This covers school lunches in Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6). All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 already get free school lunches through the universal infant free school meals scheme.

Expanded Free School Meals alone do not bring pupil premium funding to the school.

What are Targeted Free School Meals?

Children qualify for Targeted Free School Meals if their household receives Universal Credit and earns £7,400 a year or less after tax (excluding benefits). Children may also qualify if their family receives certain other benefits or meets other government eligibility rules.

Targeted Free School Meals give children a free school lunch and help the school receive pupil premium funding. Families need to apply for either type of benefits-based free school meals so their eligibility can be checked.

What is Pupil Premium Funding?

Pupil premium is government funding that helps schools support eligible children. It can be used to support learning, attendance and wellbeing, and to help them take part in school life.

Pupil premium also supports

• Children who qualified for Targeted Free School Meals, or met the equivalent rules before September 2026, at any point in the past six years. This can apply even if their family’s circumstances have changed.
• Children in local authority care and eligible children who have left care, for example through adoption or a special guardianship order.

Who receives targeted pupil premium funding?

The funding is managed by us as a school rather than paid directly to families. We plan its use around pupils’ needs, and some provision also benefits wider groups or whole classes.

What does qualifying for pupil premium NOT mean

A child being eligible does NOT mean the following:

• that the child is not achieving or making good progress.
• a judgement about parenting or the care and support given to a child.
• we have selected the child as being in greater need than their peers

The income-based criteria is a financial measure that does not take account of the many other factors that influence how well children do at school, including their individual circumstances, their strengths and their experiences.

How do we use the funding at Hobletts Manor Infants' and Nursery?

At Hobletts Manor Infants School, we use targeted pupil premium funding in a range of ways to meet 

• Additional staffing, providing more opportunities for individual and small-group targeted support.
• Staff training, helping us continually improve our expertise and teaching skills to meet children’s needs.
• Targeted interventions, such as additional support with emotional regulation, reading, writing or mathematics.
• Learning resources, giving children access to materials that support their learning.
• Enrichment opportunities, helping children take part in experiences that broaden their interests and build confidence.

It is important to note that eligibility does not automatically mean that your child needs additional intervention. You can find further details about how we use the funding and review its impact in our Pupil Premium Strategy on our school website.

At Hobletts Manor Infants School, we use targeted pupil premium funding in a range of ways:

• Additional staffing, providing flexible opportunities for individual and small-group targeted support.
• Staff training, helping us continually improve our expertise and teaching skills to meet children’s needs.
• Targeted interventions, such as additional support with emotional regulation, social skills, reading, writing or mathematics.
• Learning resources, giving children access to materials that support their learning.
• Enrichment opportunities, helping children take part in experiences that broaden their interests and build confidence.

You can find further details about how we use the funding and review its impact in our Pupil Premium Strategy further down this page.

Check whether your child is eligible

You can check eligibility and register through Hertfordshire County Council or by asking our school office. Families of nursery children can ask the school office about support and the separate eligibility arrangements that may apply to them.