Management Information Sheet
FREE School Meal vouchers for May half term holidays
Thank you to colleagues for continuing to support vulnerable children and families during these difficult times.
Support over the May half term holiday for pupils eligible for means-tested Free School Meals
Norfolk County Council is continuing to work with food voucher company, Edenred, to provide support for all families with children eligible for means-tested Free School Meals, including children in the early years who receive pupil premium, those in post-16 education in receipt of bursary funding, and those Elective Home Educated children that the LA are aware of that would be eligible to means-tested FSM should they attend school.
We are again asking all Norfolk schools and colleges to order vouchers for their means-tested FSM-eligible pupils to cover the May half term holiday at the rate of £15 per eligible pupil per week via the NCC EdenRed portal. Please ensure all orders placed are marked as "May half term" to distinguish from term time orders and avoid being charged, as NCC is covering the cost of the holiday vouchers.
Please continue to encourage eligible families to register for free school meals as this will enable them to qualify for these vouchers as well as the other support available.
You may wish to share the link below on your own Facebook pages to promote the scheme to your parents and carers:
https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/education-and-learning/schools/school-meals-and-milk
Please note that the free school meal vouchers will only be available to those who are eligible and have registered, although there is wider support available to families in hardship from other support mechanisms within the County Council as detailed below.
Families in hardship and needing wider support
There is support available for families who are facing hardship and need support now. Please share this with your families as appropriate.
Anyone experiencing hardship may be able to receive support through the Norfolk Assistance Scheme (NAS), which may be able to provide support for food, fuel, clothes and other essential household items to families experiencing hardship.
Families can contact the NAS via their dedicated website, which includes an online application form. If they cannot access the internet, they can call 0344 800 8020.