Other useful information

Free School Meals and foodbank vouchers

We are providing funding to the families of children who are in receipt of means tested free school meals to help with the increased cost of food while schools are closed.  We are offering this funding instead of the national voucher scheme as we feel that it offers families better options in the area that we live.  Unfortunately this support is not available to the families of children in KS1 who usually get a free school meal as part of the Universal Infant Free School Meals programme unless they are also eligible for the means tested benefit.

If your financial situation has changed you may now be eligible for means tested free school meals.  If this is the case we would encourage you to apply.  If your application is successful we will be able to offer you financial support toward the cost of food immediately.  Your child will also continue to attract additional funding to enable their school to offer additional school based support for at least the next six years even if the change in financial situation is only temporary.

 https://www.devon.gov.uk/educationandfamilies/school-information/school-meals

If you are struggling to have enough food please get in touch and we will do what we can to help.  We can explore a number of options including providing food bank vouchers.

Provision for vulnerable children and the children of key workers

We are providing childcare for vulnerable children and the children of key workers from both schools at West Down school. If you need to apply for a place please get in touch.  The guidance remains that even these children should remain at home if it is safe to do so and only come into school if there is no other care available.   Staff are working on a rota that changes each week and observe social distancing as much as possible.  The children are not being taught normal lessons but are encouraged to complete home learning tasks in school where appropriate.