Please click on each drop-down menus for more information about Transport, Dinners, Food2Eat, and Free School Meals.
SEN Travel Assistance (click to expand)
Applying for SEN travel assistance
Medway Council offer a range of flexible travel assistance options for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN).
This allows children to gain confidence and independence by helping them to get to school or to an educational placement while meeting their needs and allowing them to socialise.
Education travel assistance is provided for pupils of compulsory school age, 5 to 16.
How to apply
To apply for SEN travel assistance for the first time or to reapply you will need to complete an application form online.
To apply, you’ll need:
- The child’s details, including name, address and date of birth
- Education provider details
- Your details, including name, address and contact details.
You may also need:
- SEN officers name
- Details of any benefits you receive
- Details of the child’s health or behavioural support needs and medication
- Details about your health conditions if it makes it difficult for you to accompany the child to school.
Apply for SEN travel assistance online, via the link below:
If you live in Medway visit the Medway council website: https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200170/children_and_families/475/special_educational_needs_travel
If you live in Kent use the Kent County Council website: https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/school-transport/school-transport-for-children-with-special-educational-needs/free-school-transport#tab-2
PLEASE NOTE
Unless otherwise agreed, applications for SEND Travel Assistance must be submitted on an annual basis, and all existing arrangements are subject to an annual review process overseen by the Council’s SEN Travel Assistance Panel.
Moving House
If you are moving house or need to make changes to your child’s transport arrangements, you must first speak to Medway SEN Department on 01634 306000. The transport company or driver do not have the authority to make any changes without permission from Medway Council.
As changes can take a few days to arrange you should ensure you give plenty of notice beforehand.
Do not forget to also let us know of any changes to your address or telephone numbers.
Dinners (click to expand)
Dinners are provided at the academy in the Lower and Upper Site dining rooms. These meals are prepared on site.
The cost of the meals is as follows:
Primary Students: £15 per week (£3 per day)
Secondary Students: £16 per week (£3.20 per day)
Payment for these meals should be made via the Arbor Parent App. Downloadable from the Apple App Store and Android Play Store.
For further information on Arbor, please click on the link to visit the dedicated page: https://www.bradfieldsacademy.co.uk/parent-carer-advice/arbor/
A copy of the menus can be found by clicking on the attachment below.
If you have any queries, please contact the academy office on 01634 683990.
Food2Eat - Sixth Form (click to expand)
Sixth Formers at Bradfields Academy can buy food from Food2Eat (the catering department under Fortis Trust and Bradfields Academy).
Students are able to book their meal at the beginning of the day and can then pay for this themselves via debit card or pre-paid card (contactless).
Free School Meals (click to expand)
Free school meals for infants
All children attending school in Reception, year 1 and year 2 are entitled to a school meal free of charge.
Even though your child will receive a school meal, if you are receiving any of the benefits listed below you should still apply as your child’s school will also be entitled to extra funding of £1,300 known as Pupil Premium.
Apply for free school meals
To make an application for free school meals you must apply online. Paper applications are no longer available.
Apply for free school meals online
Visit the link below to start your application:
- Free School Meals – Medway – https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200164/school_information/354/free_school_meals
You will need to provide:
- Your own name and date of birth
- Contact details
- National Insurance Number or National Asylum Seekers Number
- Child’s name and date of birth
- School your child is attending/will attend.
Free school meals from Year 3 onwards
If you have children under 19 years old and still in full time education, they may be entitled to a free school meal if you receive either:
- Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit