We have been asked by the local authority to share the following:
Dear Parents/Carers
We are writing to let you know that the window for the School Essentials Grant opened on 1 July.
Removing barriers to participating in education, including helping families with the cost of the school day, including school uniform, is so vital, especially in the current climate.
The School Essentials Grant is one way of offering support for families.
Registering as eligible for free school meals with your Local Authority unlocks access to the School Essentials Grant. It also means schools get more funding. With the introduction of free school meals for primary pupils, many parents/carers do not realise that schools will lose out unless they continue to register as eligible.
Please click on the following link for further information:
Even if you do need the grant, registering as eligible will mean schools get additional funding.
Keeping the cost of school uniforms low is another way of helping families. Following a consultation last year, the Welsh Government published revised School Uniform statutory guidance, to better support governing bodies in making their decisions on school uniform policies in respect of access, affordability and flexibility. The main changes to the revised guidance provided that:
· branded uniform (which includes but is not limited to logo bearing items) should not be a compulsory requirement for pupils;
· schools should ensure that arrangements are in place so that second-hand uniforms are available for pupils to acquire.
You can find the guidance in full here:
Children in Wales have also published helpful case studies highlighting how schools are keeping costs down, which can be found here: