Chair of Highland Council’s Education Committee reiterates need for rural poverty to be considered when additional funding is given to schools
Chair of Highland Council’s Education Committee, Cllr John Finlayson, is concerned that many rural schools across Highland are not receiving a fair share of the Scottish Government’s Pupil Equity Funding ( PEF) as the current allocation criteria is based on free school meal entitlement and does not take account of rural poverty.
Pupil Equity Funding is allocated directly to schools and targeted at closing the poverty related attainment gap. Schools have been allocated funding for pupils in P1-S3 known to be eligible for free school meals.
This funding which continues to be awarded annually is spent at the discretion of the headteacher, working in partnership with parents, staff and the Highland Council.
Schools now have their plans in place for using this session’s funding and will be implementing those plans for the remainder of the school session.
Following a report to the Isle of Skye and Raasay Area Committee Cllr Finlayson said: “In terms of PEF I am still concerned that many rural schools do not receive any allocation, while others receive very little and this is because rural deprivation is not taken into account. I have actually raised this concern with the Deputy First Minister who has indicated he would welcome feedback about this from Highland and I am working with officers to provide him with comments.”
During the area committee meeting Members heard that even in cases where free school meals are available for all P1-P3 children, the uptake can vary greatly in schools. This may be partly explained by cultural issues relating to not wanting to accept benefits. This is an issue, especially in rural areas where the uptake does not tend to be as high as in urban areas for a variety of factors.
Cllr Finlayson added: “Every year the schools circulate information about free school meal entitlement and there are still issues with people not claiming this valuable entitlement. I would urge anyone who is struggling financially, or thinks they may be eligible to apply online or phone for advice.”
During the current COVID-19 emergency, to receive free school meals and assistance with school clothing your household must be in receipt of any one of the following:
- Income Support
- Universal Credit (where the monthly earned income does not exceed £610).
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
- Any income related element of Employment and Support Allowance
- Child Tax Credit, but not in receipt of Working Tax Credit, and your income is less than £16,105 (as assessed by the HMRC)
- Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit and an income below £7,330 (as assessed by the HMRC)
- If you are 16 to 18 yrs old and receive any of these benefits in your own right then you can claim for yourself
- If you are an asylum seeker receiving support
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
If you are in receipt of Council Tax Reduction and received Free School Meals or a School Clothing Grant last year there is no need to re-apply. We will automatically make an award this year. However, if you have a child who is due to start Primary school, or you have a child in High School who will return to fifth year or sixth year after the summer holidays, you will need to let us know so that we can include them in this year's award. You can let us know by calling on
The School Clothing Grant is paid by Paypoint Vouchers, which will be sent to the mobile number you have provided. If you have changed your mobile number you must inform us of your new number to ensure you receive payment
If you have questions relating to the Free School Meals scheme, please contact us by email at operations.team@highland.gov.uk.
School meals and assistance with clothing
Addtional context
PEF is based on the estimated figures – not actuals - plus there are other factors that are used to calculate allocations.
The 2020/21 and 2021/22 funding allocation has been calculated using the most recently available Healthy Living Survey and Pupil Census data and is based on:
• The estimated number of P1-P3 pupils who would be registered for free school meals using the national eligibility criteria. This will be done by taking the proportion of pupils registered for free school meals in primary schools in 2014 and then applying those to the 2018 school rolls for P1 to P3.
• The estimated number of P4-P7 and S1-3 pupils who are registered for free school meals.
• The estimated number of special school pupils in the P1-S3 age range registered for free school meals.