School Essentials ( PDG Access)

Page updated on: 15/02/2024

If your child already gets free school meals, there could be more help available for School Essentials (PDG Access). Check if you’re eligible for help with school essentials.

The Pupil Development Grant (PDG) grant provides financial assistance to families on low incomes for the purchase of:

School uniform including coats and shoes;
School sports kit including footwear;
Uniform for enrichment activities, including but not limited to, scouts; guides; cadets; martial arts; sports; performing arts or dance;
Equipment e.g. school bags and stationery;
Specialist equipment where new curriculum activities begin such as design and technology;
Equipment for out of school hours trips such as outdoor learning e.g. waterproofs;
IT equipment - laptops and tablets only. You will need to confirm that your child’s school cannot loan them a laptop/tablet for use at home.

Funding of up to £125 is available to each eligible child, with the exception of those in Year 7 who are entitled to £200.

Who is eligible?

Funding is available to pupils who are eligible for Free School Meals in year groups Reception to Year 11.

The funding is also available to all looked-after children of compulsory school age. Looked after children (LAC) means children in public care, who are placed with foster carers, in residential homes or with parents or other relatives through an Act of Court.

School Essentials (PDG Access) Grant payments will be made automatically to those families whose Free School Meal (FSM) details on file provide sufficient information for approval. Payments will be made during July.

Please note that pupils receiving Free School Meals due to Transitional Protection and pupils leaving Year 11 in July 2023 are NOT eligible for School Essentials (PDG Access) Grant payments.

Please also note that pupils moving into Reception and Year 7 in September 2023 will need to submit an application for School Essentials (PDG Access) Grant payments via the following link, which will be available from Monday July 3rd onwards. Payments for those pupils eligible for the grant will be made as soon as possible.

Apply for School Essentials (PDG Access) Grant