New faculty yr brings additional assist for college kids and households

Hundreds of extra secondary faculty youngsters who’re eligible for Wandsworth’s Access for All supply will now obtain a free faculty meal each day, taking the associated fee away from households and supporting pupils’ wellbeing and focus within the classroom.

Local mother and father have welcomed the growth. One mentioned: “As a parent, this news is reassuring. Knowing our children will get a healthy meal at school means they go in calmer, and ready to learn, it makes such a difference to the school day.”

Previously, solely youngsters whose mother and father had an earnings of beneath £7,400 certified, however the council is considerably increasing the eligible cohort as youngsters return to highschool this September and we’ll be reaching out to eligible households.

This supply builds on our work to make sure vitamin and wholesome consuming stays a precedence and youngsters begin their faculty day able to study. Through our ongoing partnership with Magic Breakfast, over 5,200 youngsters at the moment are having breakfast every day. Schools report clear advantages, together with improved focus, attendance, and punctuality, in addition to diminished monetary pressures for households. As a results of the programme’s success, we at the moment are participating secondary faculties to hitch the council’s scheme growth within the autumn time period. 

The Council has additionally taken what was already probably the most beneficiant uniform assist coverage within the nation, and expanded eligibility to incorporate all Access for All youngsters coming into Reception and Year 7.

Eligible families got vouchers of as much as £170, offering important assist as youngsters begin these key years.

To additional stage the enjoying subject, the Council has launched the Access for All School Trip Service. By masking transport prices, the service makes it simpler for faculties to organise journeys and ensures all youngsters can entry useful studying experiences past the classroom, no matter household earnings.

Judi Gasser, Cabinet Member for Children, mentioned: “At Wandsworth, we consider each baby deserves the perfect begin in life. By increasing our free faculty meal and uniform supply, we’re making a distinction for households throughout our borough.”

The Council can also be utilizing new data-matching processes to determine youngsters entitled to free faculty meals who had been beforehand missed. So far, 705 youngsters have been recognized, guaranteeing these youngsters can profit from a wholesome, nutritious meal each day and unlocking an extra £1.25 million in pupil premium funding for faculties annually.

Meanwhile, the Apple Schools Programme continues to develop. Since 2022, twenty main faculties have benefitted from world-class know-how, trainer coaching, and artistic instruments similar to Apple’s Everyone Can Create and Everyone Can Code. For the 2025-2026 tutorial yr, six extra faculties will be a part of the initiative and two SEND useful resource bases.

Support extends past faculties, too. This summer time, the Council introduced a brand new partnership with Dolly Parton’s charity to reward each baby aged beneath 5 a free e-book each month till their fifth birthday. The Imagination Library is designed to nurture early literacy, ignite youngsters’s imaginations and foster a lifelong love of studying in our youngest residents.

Judi added: “These initiatives reflect our continued dedication to ensuring that every child in Wandsworth has the support, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive. We wish all our students, teachers, and families a happy start to the academic year.”

Find out extra info on eligibility for assist programmes.