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Written Question
Free School Meals: Poole
Tuesday 19th February 2019

Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has undertaken any recent research into the number of pupils eligible but not registered for free school meals in Poole.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

The latest research published on the number of pupils not claiming free school meals was published in December 2013 and shows the under-registration rate of pupils entitled to free school meals (FSM) is 11%. The full report is available here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/266339/DFE-RR319.pdf.

In Dorset and Poole, the under-registration rates reported at 2013 are in the attached table.

Schools automatically receive Pupil Premium funding for each pupil registered as eligible for free school meals in the school census and for any pupil eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years. This year 1.99 million pupils, 27% of all pupils, aged 5-16 are eligible to receive Pupil Premium funding.

We do not publish statistics on the take up of Pupil Premium.

The department wants to make sure that as many eligible pupils as possible are claiming free school meals, and to make it as simple as possible for schools and local authorities to determine eligibility. To support this we provide:

  • The Eligibility Checking Service to make the checking process as quick and simple as possible for schools and local authorities.
  • A model registration form for paper-based applications.
  • Guidance to Jobcentre Plus advisors and work coaches so they can make Universal Credit claimants aware that they might be entitled to free school meals.

We know that many schools and local authorities have established very effective ways to encourage all eligible families to register for free school meals.


Written Question
Free School Meals: Dorset
Tuesday 19th February 2019

Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Department has undertaken any recent research into the number of pupils eligible but not registered for free school meals in Dorset.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

The latest research published on the number of pupils not claiming free school meals was published in December 2013 and shows the under-registration rate of pupils entitled to free school meals (FSM) is 11%. The full report is available here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/266339/DFE-RR319.pdf.

In Dorset and Poole, the under-registration rates reported at 2013 are in the attached table.

Schools automatically receive Pupil Premium funding for each pupil registered as eligible for free school meals in the school census and for any pupil eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years. This year 1.99 million pupils, 27% of all pupils, aged 5-16 are eligible to receive Pupil Premium funding.

We do not publish statistics on the take up of Pupil Premium.

The department wants to make sure that as many eligible pupils as possible are claiming free school meals, and to make it as simple as possible for schools and local authorities to determine eligibility. To support this we provide:

  • The Eligibility Checking Service to make the checking process as quick and simple as possible for schools and local authorities.
  • A model registration form for paper-based applications.
  • Guidance to Jobcentre Plus advisors and work coaches so they can make Universal Credit claimants aware that they might be entitled to free school meals.

We know that many schools and local authorities have established very effective ways to encourage all eligible families to register for free school meals.


Written Question
Free School Meals: Poole
Tuesday 19th February 2019

Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has recently undertaken any research into the effect of eligible pupils not registering for free school meals on pupil premium funding for schools in Poole.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

The latest research published on the number of pupils not claiming free school meals was published in December 2013 and shows the under-registration rate of pupils entitled to free school meals (FSM) is 11%. The full report is available here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/266339/DFE-RR319.pdf.

In Dorset and Poole, the under-registration rates reported at 2013 are in the attached table.

Schools automatically receive Pupil Premium funding for each pupil registered as eligible for free school meals in the school census and for any pupil eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years. This year 1.99 million pupils, 27% of all pupils, aged 5-16 are eligible to receive Pupil Premium funding.

We do not publish statistics on the take up of Pupil Premium.

The department wants to make sure that as many eligible pupils as possible are claiming free school meals, and to make it as simple as possible for schools and local authorities to determine eligibility. To support this we provide:

  • The Eligibility Checking Service to make the checking process as quick and simple as possible for schools and local authorities.
  • A model registration form for paper-based applications.
  • Guidance to Jobcentre Plus advisors and work coaches so they can make Universal Credit claimants aware that they might be entitled to free school meals.

We know that many schools and local authorities have established very effective ways to encourage all eligible families to register for free school meals.


Written Question
Free School Meals: Dorset
Tuesday 19th February 2019

Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has undertaken recent research into the effect of eligible pupils not registering for free school meals on pupil premium funding for schools for Dorset.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

The latest research published on the number of pupils not claiming free school meals was published in December 2013 and shows the under-registration rate of pupils entitled to free school meals (FSM) is 11%. The full report is available here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/266339/DFE-RR319.pdf.

In Dorset and Poole, the under-registration rates reported at 2013 are in the attached table.

Schools automatically receive Pupil Premium funding for each pupil registered as eligible for free school meals in the school census and for any pupil eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years. This year 1.99 million pupils, 27% of all pupils, aged 5-16 are eligible to receive Pupil Premium funding.

We do not publish statistics on the take up of Pupil Premium.

The department wants to make sure that as many eligible pupils as possible are claiming free school meals, and to make it as simple as possible for schools and local authorities to determine eligibility. To support this we provide:

  • The Eligibility Checking Service to make the checking process as quick and simple as possible for schools and local authorities.
  • A model registration form for paper-based applications.
  • Guidance to Jobcentre Plus advisors and work coaches so they can make Universal Credit claimants aware that they might be entitled to free school meals.

We know that many schools and local authorities have established very effective ways to encourage all eligible families to register for free school meals.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 13 Nov 2018
Education Funding

"A few moments ago the hon. Lady said that record levels of funding were going into our schools. Does she accept that that is a fact?..."
Michael Tomlinson - View Speech

View all Michael Tomlinson (Con - Mid Dorset and North Poole) contributions to the debate on: Education Funding

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 13 Nov 2018
Education Funding

"The hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Angela Rayner) almost accepted that the Government were spending a record amount on our primary and secondary schools. Can my right hon. Friend tell us how that compares with spending in other G7 nations?..."
Michael Tomlinson - View Speech

View all Michael Tomlinson (Con - Mid Dorset and North Poole) contributions to the debate on: Education Funding

Written Question
Sixth Form Education: Children in Care
Friday 9th November 2018

Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many looked-after children and care leavers went on to key stage 5 in 2016-17.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

The information requested is not held centrally.

The number of care leavers aged 17 and 18 years old who were in education other than higher education in the year ending 31 March 2017, was 4,610. Information on care leavers aged 17 and 18 years old was collected for the first time for the year ending 31 March 2016 and is published as experimental statistics.

These figures were published in 2017 in table F3 of the statistical release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2016 to 2017 (SFR 50/2017)’ at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2016-to-2017.

Education other than higher education means all studies excluding degrees, diplomas in higher education, teaching and nursing qualifications, HNDs, ONDs, and BTEC levels 4-5, all of which fall under the category higher education.


Written Question
Further Education: Care Leavers and Children in Care
Tuesday 16th October 2018

Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) looked-after children and (b) care leavers went on to further education in 2016-17.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

The information requested is not held centrally.

The number of care leavers aged 19 to 21 years old, who were in education other than higher education in the year ending 31 March 2017, was 5,090. For care leavers aged 17 to 18, the number was 4,610. Information on care leavers aged 17 and 18 years old was collected for the first time for the year ending 31 March 2016 and is published as experimental statistics.

These figures were published in 2017, in the statistical release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: 2016 to 2017 (SFR 50/2017)’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2016-to-2017.

Education other than higher education refers to all studies excluding degrees, diplomas in higher education, teaching and nursing qualifications, HNDs, ONDs, and BTEC levels 4-5, all of which fall under the category of higher education.


Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 25 Jun 2018
Oral Answers to Questions

"Whether it is for academic or practical skills, reading and literacy are vital. In contrast to the hon. Member for Huddersfield, does the Secretary of State welcome the fact that pupils in England are outperforming their peers right across the world when it comes to reading and literacy, according to …..."
Michael Tomlinson - View Speech

View all Michael Tomlinson (Con - Mid Dorset and North Poole) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions

Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 12 Jun 2018
Care of Prisoners’ Children

"I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate and on powerfully speaking out for some of the most vulnerable in our society. She has raised some powerful examples. She mentioned Justice Ministers earlier, it is excellent to see the Education Minister in his place and she also mentioned housing. …..."
Michael Tomlinson - View Speech

View all Michael Tomlinson (Con - Mid Dorset and North Poole) contributions to the debate on: Care of Prisoners’ Children