Free School Meals
We want to make sure that we are providing your child with the best education and support we can. Healthy school food has obvious health benefits and can help pupils establish healthy habits for life. Healthy school food can also help to improve pupils’ readiness to learn.
Families who receive certain benefits may be eligible for free school meals. Your child is eligible for free school meals if you’re in receipt of one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400.
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
- Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of no more than £16,190
If you think your child is eligible, please contact us at school so we can provide a link to the online application form. Pupils who are eligible for free school meals may also be eligible for other support.
External Sources of information and support
There are a number of helpful resources below, often copied and pasted from other sources. They are not exhaustive so we would encourage you to contact your daughter's head of year if you are struggling or your circumstances change because we can often help or have access to people who can.
If you ever become concerned about the safety of a St Anne’s student (online or offline), you are welcome to email
safe@st-annes.uk.com but that this is only for use for non-urgent situations – the police are the first port of call for these on 999 (immediate emergency) or 101.
Wellbeing and mental health
The NHS has put together videos for all sorts of tips on exercise, sleep and how to take care of yourself on social media. You will also find links to help for groups of people who may be finding things particularly tough, or have additional needs, and support with some of the issues you may be facing.
Childline is here to help anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through. You can talk about anything. Whether it’s something big or small, our trained counsellors are here to support you.
ThinkNinja is an app specifically designed to educate 10-18 year olds about mental health, emotional wellbeing and to provide skills young people can use to build resilience and stay well.
No Limits is a charity offering free and confidential information, advice, counselling, advocacyand support to children and young people. Support is offered at the No Limits Advice Centre in Central Southampton. No Limits also runs a number of free support groups for young people in Southampton.
Beat Eating Disorders: Coronavirus is understandably causing a lot of stress and anxiety, and we know that things may feel very uncertain right now. We’ve listened to the issues you’ve raised and, with the help of eating disorder clinicians, put together the guidance below to try to respond to the most common ones.
Life’s tough, we know that. It can throw a lot your way and make it hard to know what the hell to do with it all. So, welcome to The Mix. Whether you’re 13, 25, or any age in between, we’re here to take on the embarrassing problems, weird questions, and please-don’t-make-me-say-it-out-loud thoughts you have. We give you the information and support you need to deal with it all. Because you can. Because you’re awesome. We’ll connect you to experts and your peers who’ll give you the support and tools you need to take on any challenge you’re facing – for everything from homelessness to finding a job, from money to mental health, from break-ups to drugs.
At Youngminds we will make sure all young people get the best possible mental health support and have the resilience to overcome life's challenges.
Whatever you're going through, call The Samaritans free any time, from any phone, on 116 123. There is also a free self-help app for when you don’t want to talk.
Shout is an affiliate of Crisis Text Line® in the UK that provides free, confidential support, 24/7 via text. It’s the first free 24/7 texting service in the UK for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. Text SHOUT to 85258 from anywhere in the UK, anytime, about any type of crisis.
STAR works with children and young people on what healthy relationships look like, as well as how to recognise and get help with unhealthy relationships or situations.
Re:Minds is a parent-led support group for families who have children/young people with autism or mental health issues and is based in Southampton. Lots of useful resources, book recommendations and notes from talks with CAMHS.
Southampton Family Trust provides support, information and courses for families in Southampton.
Free Sports Activities
Book free Saints Kicks football in Southampton (Saints Kicks also runs at St Anne’s and no need to book-only open to St Anne’s pupils)
Hampshire Cricket Wicketz offer free weekly Wicketz activity at Oasis Academy and Cantell School.
Money
Free and impartial money advice
Visit this website to check your eligibility for Free School Meals for your child.
CAP runs life skills groups for that help give people the confidence and decision making skills to survive on a low income.
Visit this website for local and national debt advice services.
Help with Water Bills
Essentials tariff - you may qualify for a minimum 20% discount if your household income is less than £16,105 per year (not including Personal Independence Allowance, Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance). Plus, if someone at your address receives Pension Credit, you’ll automatically be accepted onto the Essentials tariff and receive a 20% discount on your water bill.
Water Sure tariff - if you are on a water meter and use a lot of water due to a medical condition, or because there are three or more children under 19 living at home, you could benefit from a cap on your metered water bill. You’ll need to be claiming benefits to be eligible for the WaterSure tariff.
NewStart - if you owe money to Southern Water for an outstanding debt and you haven’t been able to make a payment for a while you may be eligible to receive help to pay off the bill. Check online for more details.
Water Direct - Jobcentre Plus may be able to pay Southern Water directly from your benefits on your behalf.
To find out more about any of these schemes simply call Southern Water on 0800 027 0800, email
payless@southernwater.co.uk or go online.
Other
The Fresh Start group provides support for people wanting a fresh start and want to stop smoking, binge drinking, gambling or internet addiction.
Online Safety & Social Media
Thinkuknow websites provide advice about staying safe when you're online.
Parent Info is a free service that shares articles, tips, expert advice and resources designed to help parents keep up with what their children are doing on-line.
Please remember that the minimum age for most social media is 13 (including Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok) and more for some (e.g. WhatsApp – which is far more than a messaging app). This is also a useful opportunity to remind you that school does not routinely become involved if there have been disagreements between students over social media or text message outside of school.
Advice for parents on what to do if a child sees something which has/may upset them online –
Advice and checklists from social media: how to report content and manage security settings:
Useful guidance around apps and social media can be found on the NSPCC website, the safer internet site in the first link above, as well as Net Aware.
If you ever become concerned about the safety of a St Anne’s student (online or offline), you are welcome to email
safe@st-annes.uk.com but that this is only for use for non-urgent situations – the police are the first port of call for these on 999 (immediate emergency) or 101.
Parenting Courses from Southampton City Council
The Local Authority are encouraging people to self-refer into their courses, details of which can be found in the two attachments below.
