In order for secondary school pupils to receive free school meals you will need to apply on the Islington council website.
Free School Meals from September 2026
As you begin to prepare for your child’s move to secondary school in September, we would like to remind you about the benefit of Free School Meals. If you are eligible to claim for Free School Meals, we would encourage you to apply. If your child previously received Free School Meals at primary school, you will need to re-apply in order for them to receive Free School Meals at the Academy.
Applying for Free School Meals means that you save on lunch costs and at the same time, raise additional funding for the Academy and its students. There is no commitment for children to eat a school meal every day, but for every eligible child the Academy will receive extra funding. This helps the Academy to provide valuable support such as extra tuition, learning assistants and after school clubs for all of our students.
Free School Meals are available to students in receipt of, or whose parents are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
A Student is only eligible to receive a free school meal where both:
- a claim for this support has been made
- their eligibility has been verified by the school where they are enrolled or by the local authority
Households may also be entitled to a meal if they:
- are in receipt of income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- receive the guarantee element of Pension Credit
- meet criteria set out in separate guidance for families with no recourse to public funds
Uniform:
Branded items of uniform can be purchased at Rough Cut Casuals. The Academy also has a number of second-hand items should parents and carers wish to purchase these. Please contact the Academy for more information.
Website : www.islington.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals
Email : FreeSchoolMeal@islington.gov.uk
Hackney residents are also eligible for a school uniform grant of £100 from the London Borough of Hackney to assist with the transition from Primary to Secondary School.
The grant is available to Hackney residents whose children are eligible for free school meals, under the national criteria. More information can be found here: https://education.hackney.gov.uk/content/school-uniform-grant-age-11
Shoe Hardship Fund
We are grateful for the generosity of the Worshipful Guild of Pattenmakers, who make an annual donation to the Academy, enabling us to part-fund or fully-fund the purchase of school shoes for students from families who need financial assistance. We prioritise funding for students who are eligible for free school meals. For further information, please contact the Academy.