Management Information Sheet

The DfE has released guidance on claiming back additional costs relating to Covid-19 Free School Meals incurred by educational establishments during the period 4 January 2021 to the beginning of the Easter holidays (as applicable). Additional costs must be claimed using the online form, available at http://form.education.gov.uk/service/fsm-claim and the deadline for claiming is 23:59 on 4 May 2021. Claims submitted before this time may be amended but there will be no extension to the deadline.

Guidance to help schools complete the form is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-free-school-meals-additional-costs

Educational establishments eligible to claim are:

• primary, secondary and all through maintained schools, academies and free schools
• 16 to 19 academies and maintained schools
• maintained special schools, and special academies and free schools
• non-maintained special schools
• pupil referral units
• alternative provision academies and free schools
• maintained and academy hospital schools
• further education colleges
• sixth form colleges
• special post-16 institutions

NB Local Authority maintained schools that ordered vouchers via the NCC EdenRed site do not have to reclaim those costs via the ESFA site above as the Local Authority will be able to reclaim those costs centrally. The LA will not therefore be recharging those costs to LA maintained schools via the download. We will however still be sending you a statement showing you what we are claiming in your name.

Academy schools and other educational establishments that have ordered FSM vouchers via the NCC EdenRed site will also be sent full statements of all vouchers ordered. For these schools, an invoice will follow shortly, and those establishments will need to reclaim the cost via the ESFA portal please.

All educational establishments that have ordered vouchers via the EdenRed national DfE site should not reclaim any costs as the cost of those vouchers has already been met centrally.

All other additional FSM costs for all educational establishments e.g. food parcels, local vouchers other than EdenRed etc, need to be claimed at school/ Trust level via the ESFA claim form please.

Any queries regarding the NCC EdenRed site or LA issued statements should be directed to fsmf@norfolk.gov.uk