Deadline nears for primary school place admissions

Westfield school

Westfield school

Parents and carers of children starting school this September are reminded to apply for a place before next Friday.

Parents may also apply online at the same time for free school meals for their children, and if eligible, their child’s school will also benefit from additional funding known as the Pupil Premium.

The closing date for applications for children born between 1 September 2011 and 31 August 2012, is Friday 15 January 2016. For a place in the reception class at their chosen York state primary school, parents and carers can apply online at www.york.gov.uk/schooladmissions

All details and answers to frequently asked questions can be found at www.york.gov.uk/guideforparents. The guide, updated for 2016 admissions, contains information on school admissions and appeals processes as well as information on admissions statistics, oversubscription criteria and other information for parents and carers. Also online are details for service families and information on fair access.

In addition, all eligible parents and carers are encouraged to apply for free school meals if they receive one or more of the following income-related benefits:

  • • Income Support
  • • Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
  • • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • • Child Tax Credit combined with both a household income below £16,190, and not in receipt of any Working Tax Credit
  • • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • • Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit.

The Government will give £1,300 every year for each primary school pupil and £965 for each secondary school student eligible for the Pupil Premium as well as a free school meal, should they choose to have one.

This sum, known as the Pupil Premium, is paid to the school whether or not the pupil takes up the school meal and is used to help the pupil do even better with their schoolwork. All applications are treated confidentially and can be made through the school or online at www.york.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals

For further help and information about school places, free school meals and the Pupil Premium contact School Services at West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA, call 01904 551554 or emaileducation@york.gov.uk

Eligible for up to £1,300 for your child to do even better at school?

School childrenEligible residents could have up to £1,300 spent on helping their school-age child to do even better for this and for the next six academic years if they apply before January 2016.

As the new terms starts, applying for free school meals could not only mean a daily hot lunch if the child wants one, but the Government will give £1,300 every year for each eligible pupil at primary schools and £965 per year per student at secondary schools.

With an estimated 400 children eligible in York but whose parents are not claiming, this could mean that up to £380,000 of Government funding is being missed out on by York pupils and their schools.

The Pupil Premium, as it is known, is paid to the child’s school and is used to help them do even better with their schoolwork. It could mean extra help with homework, uniform vouchers or buying extra books.

The Pupil Premium will be paid whether or not the pupil takes the free meals. If they prefer, they can choose to have them on certain days or even if they prefer to take a packed lunch every day. School meals provide a tasty and nutritious choice of hot or cold lunch every day.

Successful applications made before the school census in January 2016 will mean that the school will get this funding every year for the next six academic years, but applications can be made at any time throughout the school year. Parents or carers can apply through the school or online at www.york.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals.

While all children in school Reception and Years 1 and 2 currently receive free school meals, eligible parents and carers still need to apply for the Pupil Premium to be allocated to their child.

To qualify for free school meals, parents or carers must get one of the following income-related benefits:

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Child Tax Credit combined with both a household income below £16,190, and not in receipt of any Working Tax Credit
  • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit.

Contributions-based benefits, including contribution-related Job Seekers Allowanceare not qualifying benefits. Parents or carers who have just started to work less than 16 hours a week, or immediately after employment has ceased for a temporary four week ‘run-on’ period only may be eligible.

For more information, to check eligibility or to apply, please go to www.york.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals or contact School Services at West Offices, Station Rise, York, YO1 6GA or call 01904 551554 or email education@york.gov.uk

Woodthorpe school report on “pupil premium” success to be discussed next week

Disabled access arrangements also being scrutinised

A report from Woodthorpe primary school, indicating how they have used the LibDem inspired pupil premium funding initiative, forms part of the background papers for a meeting next week.

The school received a supplementary payment of over £130,000 last year which was used to raise the achievement levels of children from poorer backgrounds.

The Woodthorpe review  forms part of a wider report which looks at how the “attainment gap” can be closed across the whole of the City.

A special committee had been told  that, by the age of 19, the gap in attainment between disadvantaged young people (as defined by them being in receipt of Free School Meals at age 15) and their peers in York were among the widest anywhere in the country

Disabled access

The meeting will also receive a report on how access arrangements for people with disabilities can be improved particularly at leisure venues.

 

York Council call for young carers to be given extra support

multicolored-people-clipart

Liberal Democrats are calling for more support to be given to young carers in York by extending a successful national funding scheme.

The Lib Dems, along with groups such as the Carers Trust, are calling for Pupil Premium eligibility to be extended to include young carers.

The Pupil Premium is an additional allowance given to schools to support looked after children and those from low income families.

Children entitled to free school meals are eligible for the funding along with children in care, adopted children, children in hospital schools and service personnel children.

Schools in York have received £12.6 million since the Lib Dem policy was introduced in 2011.
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