With the start of the new academic year, here are some reminders relating to free school meals:

To contact the Free School Meals Team, please email fsm@shropshire.gov.uk

Free School Meals Applications:

Free School Meals applications should be made using the Shropshire online portal where possible, Apply for free school meals | Shropshire Council  The Shropshire online portal is a shared portal for School Admissions applications, Free School Meals applications and 24U applications and so in most cases the parent/carer will already have an account/log-in.  Where parents and carers have an email address we try to encourage the online application as much as possible, it is quick and easy to complete and the applicant also gets an indicative eligibility result at the end of their application.

DfE Guidance Document:

Following the government’s announcement in June relating to an update on the transitional protections, this is a reminder of the link to the updated DfE guidance document Free school meals: guidance for schools and local authorities - GOV.UK

The key points are:

Transitional protections have been extended until the end of the 2025/26 school year. All pupils becoming eligible for free school meals under the benefits-based criteria, should continue to receive this entitlement, regardless of any change in household circumstances or phase of education until the end of the 2025/26 school year.

From the start of the 2026/27 school year, the Department for Education will introduce new eligibility criteria meaning that all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit will be entitled to receive a free meal. It is their intention to end transitional protections alongside this change in threshold, with eligibility for all pupils reverting to whether they meet the eligibility criteria regardless of whether they were previously protected. They will issue further guidance ahead of September 2026.

SAM (School Access Module):

Please remember to check your SAM portal regularly for any new free school meals applications.  The following link will take you to the updated SAM guide Free School Meals | Shropshire Learning Gateway

A reminder that when you log into your SAM portal and select ‘View FSM Eligibility’, the landing page that you are taken to (before doing any filtering) is a full list of pupils where the LA holds a pupil with the main attendance base for your school.  If a pupil isn’t on this main list, it means the LA doesn’t know the pupil is attending the school.  You are only able to view the details for a pupil, including what information we hold regarding their free school meals eligibility, if the pupil has the main attendance base for your school.  If you have completed a ‘Starters and Leavers’ Form for School Admissions to update a pupil’s attendance, this information is updated in Synergy (SAM) the following Monday.

As the new school year is approaching, we would like to ask for your support for the immunisation programme, in particular the uptake of 2 MMR vaccines for everyone and influenza for all children and staff who are eligible. Immunisations help to prevent the spread of vaccine preventable infectious diseases in the setting, some of which have the potential for serious complications. This will also help prevent absences due to sickness for both pupils and staff. 

We ask you to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases by sharing this postcard and leaflet (links below) with the parents and guardians of your children:

Immunising primary school children, postcard

protecting_your_child_against_flu_leaflet_primary_school_print_final.pdf

If you could also print and display these posters (links below) in prominent and relevant places within the setting that would also be effective

Immunising primary school children, poster

Flu: 5 reasons to get your child vaccinated - Primary School

For your information this is the link to the routine schedule of vaccines in the UK. It has been updated to include changes from July 2025 when you click on the link

The complete routine immunisation schedule from Jan 2025

Please don’t hesitate to contact us at shropshirepublichealth@shropshire.gov.uk or on 01743 251234 if you have any concerns or questions.

As the new school year is approaching, we would like to ask for your support for the immunisation programme, in particular the uptake of 2 MMR vaccines for everyone and influenza for all children and staff who are eligible. Immunisations help to prevent the spread of vaccine preventable infectious diseases in the setting, some of which have the potential for serious complications. This will also help prevent absences due to sickness for both pupils and staff. 

We ask you to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases by sharing this postcard and leaflet (link below) with the parents and guardians of your children:

Immunising pre-secondary school children, postcard

Protect yourself against flu; Information for those in secondary school

If you could also print and display these posters (links below) in prominent and relevant places within the setting that would also be effective

Immunising pre-secondary school children, poster

Flu: 5 reasons to get your child vaccinated - Secondary School

For your information this is the link to the routine schedule of vaccines in the UK. It has been updated to include changes from July 2025 when you click on the link

The complete routine immunisation schedule from Jan 2025

Please don’t hesitate to contact us at shropshirepublichealth@shropshire.gov.uk or on 01743 251234 if you have any concerns or questions.

Rosalind Dixon

Health Protection Practitioner

Health Protection Cell

Health, Wellbeing and Prevention Directorate

Shropshire Council

Shire Services – FREE Compliance Audit for Schools Managing In-House Catering

Ensure your school’s kitchen / breakfast club is in top shape before the Environmental Health Officer visits!

At Shire Services, we’re committed to helping schools maintain the highest standards in food hygiene and safety. Whether you're looking to improve your rating, sustain excellent practices, or enhance general food safety, our expert team is here to help.

We are offering a FREE, no-obligation, 2-hour on-site compliance audit for schools managing their own in-house catering. Our specialists will assess your operations, covering health, safety, allergen management, and food hygiene, and provide a comprehensive report with expert recommendations. Don’t leave compliance to chance - schedule your free audit today and ensure your catering meets the highest standards.

Contact us now to book your audit by email at shire.services@shropshire.gov.uk or on 01743 250250

Healthcare services are an important part of inclusive provision for children and young people with SEND. They work across universal, targeted and specialist services. There are many healthcare services that can advise and support children and young people without the need for referral to specialist services.

Health services in Shropshire and Telford have worked together to produce a guidance document. The document is designed to help education practitioners plan for and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND who may require targeted support or interventions that can be provided from local healthcare services without the need for specialist support or a formal diagnosis.

The document brings together in one place the support offers from health and is therefore a useful resource for families and practitioners outside of educational settings too.

To view or download the document visit Health services inclusive provision - NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

Further information: stw.send@nhs.net

 Please see attached with details of Educational Visits Co-ordinator training available this year

All training sessions will be delivered via  ‘Teams’ online by Dave Thorley (LA Outdoor Education Advisor).  To make a booking on any of these courses please email  educationalvisits@shropshire.gov.uk with the name and email address of the person you’d like to book on and they will then be added and invited to a ‘Teams’ meeting.                                                                                                                                                                                               

EVC Initial Training – Tuesday 23^rd September 2025, 9.30 – 11.30am + 1-3pm

EVC Revalidation – Thursday 23^rd October 2025, 9.30 – 11.30am

EVC Network – Thursday 6^th November 2025, 2-3.30pm

EVC Initial Training – Thursday 22^nd January 2026, 9.30-11.30am + 1-3pm

EVC Revalidation – Thursday 5^th February 2026, 9.30 – 11.30am

EVC Network – Tuesday 17^th March 2026, 2- 3.30pm

EVC Initial Training – Tuesday 5^th May 2026, 9.30 – 11.30am + 1-3pm

EVC Revalidation – Thursday 21^st May 2026, 9.30-11.30am

EVC Network – Wednesday 24^th June 2026, 2-3.30pm 

Evisits induction can be booked directly with Dave Thorley – dave.thorley@shropshire.gov.uk – this session takes around 40 minutes and is delivered via a ‘Teams’ invite – there is no cost for this!

Dave Thorley

Outdoor Education Advisor

Learning and Skills

Telephone: 01743 254485

Email: dave.thorley@shropshire.gov.uk

The Breaking the Silence Conference, taking place on Child to Parent Abuse (CPA) Awareness Day is taking place on October the 14^th 2025 at Shrewsbury Football Club.

This vital and timely event will bring together professionals, practitioners, and experts by experience from across sectors to address the often-overlooked issue of child-to-parent abuse, viewed through a safeguarding lens.

A strong turnout of at least 150 delegates from across social care, education, healthcare, policing, and community services is expected. The day will feature powerful talks, lived experience insights, and sector-leading discussion around this pressing issue..

To find out more and secure your place, visit:
👉 www.pegsevents.co.uk

There are various ways you can get involved too, get in touch at admin@pegsupport.com if you would like to know more