Free school meals - guidance for schools
From January 2026, Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) will introduce an opt-out auto-award approach to Free School Meals (FSM). This approach helps to make sure that children in Gloucestershire who are entitled to FSM do not miss out on receiving them. The scheme will also support schools with additional funding opportunities.
Find out more: Free School Meals and Pupil Premium opt-out auto-award [PDF]
Recording of information session: Opt-out auto-award in Gloucestershire (session 2) - 11 December 2025
Using the Free School Meals portal
Please direct parents/carers to apply using the online portal. This includes those whose children already receive Universal Infant Free School Meals to ensure that schools receive all the funding to which they are entitled.
The portal is a quick, easy and more efficient method for parents/carers compared to the traditional paper based system. It should also make the process easier for schools as it will no longer be necessary for you to print, fax or scan paper forms as you have done in the past. Parents can apply using the link below.
The new portal will still allow you to keep track of Free School Meals applications made by existing and new intake pupils. Existing pupils who have applied will show on the Free School Meals Extract list as either FSM or UIFSM (Universal Infant Free School Meals for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children). If a name does not appear on your list, this would suggest that an application has not been submitted or your school is not currently showing as the child's registered base
How to keep track of applications made by new intake pupils and other guidance see School FAQs.
Further advice and support can be given by the Travel Assistance and Free School Meals team by emailing freeschoolmeals@gloucestershire.gov.uk.