Revenue Frequently Asked Questions
What am I expected to provide for my £2.30 revenue funding per eligible child?
The DfE has stated that it routinely expects, all schools to be providing infants with a hot meal that meets the nutritional standards specified at http://www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/schools/the-standards .
The revenue funding provided as part of the duty will need to cover food costs, light equipment e.g. plates, trays, cutlery etc. if not provided by the caterer, all kitchen staff and MSA’s.
When will revenue funding be received by schools?
Schools will be notified of their provisional full year revenue funding allocation for the 2014 to 2015 academic year in June 2014. HCC will receive the first 2014 to 2015 payment for maintained schools at the end of June 2014 and will pass this to schools in the next available direct credit (biscuit) run. Academies and free schools will receive funding in the next scheduled payment in early July, and newly opening academies and free schools in early September. This payment will provide funding for the first two terms of the academic year (which represents the remainder of the 2014 to 2015 financial year).
What is the budgetary implication for schools that have 100% take-up of Universal Free School Meals but have only received funding for 87% take-up?
HCC will receive the first 2014 to 2015 payment for maintained schools at the end of June 2014 and push these funds out in July or August direct credit (biscuit) run. Academies and free schools will receive their first payment shortly after in their next scheduled payment in early July, and newly opening academies and free schools in early September. This payment will provide funding for the first two terms of the academic year. This will be sent to schools in the next biscuit run. It is expected that the payment for the third term which will adjust to the take-up on census days will be made to HCC by the DfE in April 2015. As with the initial payment, funding will be sent to schools on the next available direct credit (biscuit) run.
Schools generally pay their catering providers monthly in arrears, this places schools in a positive cash-flow position and schools are not expected to experience a shortfall even with 100% uptake.
Your financial advisers (FSS or equivalent) will be able to advise you on appropriate accounting treatment at year-end.
What happens if I have 100% take-up initially and it drops over the school year?
The DfE has advised that actual take-up data will be derived from an average of the October 2014 and January 2015 Schools Censuses. Schools will therefore need to absorb the revenue costs if uptake increases and will have a surplus if it drops below.
Schools should therefore work with their catering companies to maximise uptake on census days.
Has funding been confirmed beyond 2015/16?
No, funding for the Universal Free Infant Meal policy beyond the 2015 to 2016 financial year will be considered as part of the next Spending Review.
Can the school have a policy whereby all infants have to have a school meal?
This decision will need to be made by School Governing Bodies taking into account any unique circumstances of schools and their pupils.
How will the funding be derived for the 2015/16 Academic Year
The DfE are yet to confirm the allocation methodology for the 2015 to 2016 academic year
Will the funding be received in advance next June for the 2015/16 Academic Year?
We are seeking clarification from the DfE on this point.
Are there any concessions in revenue funding for schools with particular circumstances e.g. Jewish schools that have to produce kosher meals?
We are seeking clarification from the DfE on this point but believe that the revenue funding will remain the same for all schools.
What if my school converts to Academy part way through the Academic Year?
Funding will transfer with the budget and the DfE will provide funds for future terms directly to Academies
When will small schools funding be received?
Funding will be provided as a lump sum to HCC in June 2014. Maintained schools will receive funding the July or August direct credit (biscuit) run.
How will Pupil Premium pupils be identified?
We are still seeking clarification from the DfE on this.
The HCC online system will remain which will enable parents to ascertain whether they are eligible using only their National Insurance number.
What will be the selling price of an HCL infant meal?
HCL will be facing significant additional set-up costs to meet the duty as additional light equipment will need to be purchased and in many schools additional kitchen staff provided. It is therefore likely that there will be an increase in the selling price for infant meals -- i.e. the price charged to you for meals by HCL. A paper will be presented to Schools Forum on 30th April when the price will be agreed.
Will the selling price in special schools be the same as mainstream schools?
The selling price for special schools will be the same as that of the price in other Infant and JMI schools if schools are using HCL as their catering provider.
What is reasonable to expect my catering company to provide within a meal price? What are the costs beyond the meal price that the school will need to absorb?
It is reasonable to expect the catering company to provide sufficient staff to ensure that children are served in a timely manner and that there are not long queues of diners waiting to be served and lots of empty seats in the dining room.
It is also reasonable to expect catering companies to provide the light equipment needed such as plates, cutlery, utensils and trays.
Schools will need to ensure that they have sufficient MSA’s and this will need to be funded from the school budget share or any surplus realised by the school from the UFIM revenue funding.
How many staff is it reasonable to expect my caterer to provide?
The number of staff required will depend on local circumstances because productivity rates vary quite considerably across schools - depending on menu styles, meal numbers, dietary requirements and dining room facilities. Schools will need to ensure that their catering employ sufficient staff to enable meals to be produced and served to all children to be served in a timely manner.
A key lesson from some of the schools identifying dining room constraints was that very often bottlenecks in lunch services were caused by insufficient staff numbers and not dining space. Numbers of staff varied considerably in non-HCL schools. Generally there was a direct correlation between the meal price and the staffing structure with schools paying lower prices generally having fewer staff producing and serving meals.
As a rule of thumb for schools managing catering in-house, schools can estimate that each cook can produce around ten meals per hour. Schools should ensure that they have met with their catering or contract manager to plan the number of staff needed for September.
HCL managed schools have completed this process and where necessary additional staff have been, or are in the process of being recruited.