Cost of Living Support

Cost of Living Support

We know that the cost of living crisis is impacting on everyone and we want to ensure that our students and their families are able to access support if they need it. If you have any concerns relating to the cost of living, please speak to a member of staff in confidence and we will support where we can and signpost any additional support that you can access. Your child’s tutor or Progress Leader is a good point of contact but you can also email in confidence to: studentsupport@aldermanwhite.school.

Support that can be Provided by the School

School can support with a range of school related costs. This includes:

• Ensuring students have a Free School Meal if they qualify.
• Our uniform swap shop is regularly held in school so that you can donate or take uniform that you may need.
• We will provide financial support with uniform if required.
• Providing equipment if required including a filled pencil case and a Chromebook.
• Providing sanitary products for students to use at school and home.
• A school library and book lending service.
• Free after-school Enrichment activities open to all students.
• From January, daily after school supervised homework club with hot chocolate, biscuits, internet access and an opportunity to charge Chromebooks in school.

Breakfast Club

We want every student to have breakfast before the start of the school day. Breakfast Club is in the Hall from 8:20-8:50am every day where children can purchase breakfast items for a small charge. The school will fund breakfast for students if necessary and for those students who have not had breakfast and do not have money with them, they can access a ‘breakfast pass’ by speaking to their tutor or Progress Leader..

Please encourage your child to attend!

Every Student Can Have Lunch

We will ensure that every student can have lunch by:

• We will always allow a student to buy lunch, even if they do not have enough money on their account but​ will ask parents to pay back the money and top up their child’s account. We will support with this if necessary. 
• We will not allow students to buy break time snacks if this will leave less than £1.85 on their account for lunch. ​
• We will support parents who are eligible to apply for Free School Meals for their child if needed. ​Please contact us confidentially so we can provide support: studentsupport@aldermanwhite.school.
• If a student does not have a packed lunch of enough money on their account, they should tell a member of staff in the Base or on duty and we will allow them to buy lunch.

Uniform

We want all of our students to wear our full uniform with pride. To support with this aim, we:

• Have reduced the number of required branded items to a blazer, tie and PE T shirt. ​
• Sell good quality, clean donated second hand uniform items for a small charge each term (blazers are £3). ​
• Will loan items if needed. ​
• Encourage parents can apply for financial assistance with school uniform up to £50 per school year. ​
• wWll support with other items of clothing necessary for school (eg coat and shoes) if there is a need. Parents should contact the school confidentially to discuss this by speaking to your child’s Progress Leader.

Sanitary Products

We believe that if someone needs sanitary products, they should have access to them. To support with this, we provide:

• All students who require sanitary products and are on Free School Meals are given the opportunity to collect a months supply to take home at the start of each month (or before the school holiday). ​
• We provide free sanitary products to all students on request from the Base. ​

School Equipment

We want all of our students to be ready to learn. We will:

• Subsidise a Chromebook for every child and provide an additional subsidy for children who have been eligible for Free School Meals in the last 6 years. We will loan a Chromebook to any student who doesn’t purchase or have one. ​
• Provide a scientific calculator to every child on Free School Meals. ​
• Provide a fully stocked pencil case to every child on Free School Meals at the start of each academic year. ​
• Sell pencil cases and stationery items at a subsidised cost price. ​
• Provide stationery if required. ​
• Provide a whiteboard and pen to every child. ​

Please encourage your child to speak to their Progress Leader if they require stationary.

Tutoring

Small group tuition can be beneficial to all students and we provide free tutoring and revision guides for this who need it:

• We identify students who would benefit from free tutoring in English and Maths (Year 7-9) and English, Maths, Science, History, Geography and Languages (Year 10-11). ​
• Year 7-9 tutoring takes place during the school day  in groups of up to 4. ​
• Year 10-11 3 tutoring takes place after the school day  in groups of up to 6. ​
• In Year 10-11 we will provide free revision guides to students on Free School Meals. 

If you feel your child would benefit from tutoring, please speak to your child’s Progress Leader. Please not that students who have had Free School Meals in the last 6 years are given priority.

Independent Study Club

We want every child to have a space where they can complete homework on the school site. We will therefore a space each day where they can:

• Access a space from 3:15pm-4:30pm each day to complete homework ​
• Charge their Chromebook and have access to WIFIwhilst at the homework club
• Enjoy some refreshments ​

Please encourage your child to attend.

Cooking Ingredients

We will provide ingredients so students can cook in their Food lesson if it is needed.

Enrichment

We recognise the importance of accessing a fully enriched curriculum and encourage all of our students to take part in at least one enrichment activity each week. To support this we:

• Do not charge for our clubs and enrichments activities.​ (This includes our after school Language College classes which are free to students.) ​
• Provide financial assistance for school trips and will cover the full cost of activities that are part of our curriculum. ​