Cornwall Council will become one of the first local authorities in the country to introduce automatic enrolment for Free School Meals (FSM), helping thousands of children and putting up to £3m back into family budgets and Cornwall’s schools each year....The new system, agreed by Cabinet today (September 24), will go live from September 2026....From that point, families who are eligible for FSMs will no longer need to apply.

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/council-budgets-and-economy/cabinet-announces-automatic-enrolment-for-free-school-meals/

Last updated: 24/09/2025 13:48:07

Thousands more children in Cornwall will now receive free school meals thanks to a new Council process.Introduced in July, the Free School Meals (FSM) Auto Award automatically checks whether some children are eligible for free school meals and enrols them if they qualify.The process has identified and signed up a further 14,000 children who may otherwise not have been receiving them, saving their families a total of £6.9m a year (£495 per child).This means there are now 17,485 children across Cornwall who receive free school meals.It also means schools stand to receive substantially more money as ‘pupil premium funding’ from the government is directly linked to how many of their pupils receive free school meals.In fact, Cornish schools are set to receive an extra £11.9m because of the extra 14,000 children now enrolled for free meals.Over the six-year period for which FSM eligibility can attract pupil premium funding, this equates to around £71.3 million in additional funding for schools.The...FSM Auto Award process sees the Council use information it already holds to identify children who may qualify, such as households that receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support.Cllr Hilary Frank, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families, said:“It’s fantastic news that 14,000 more children across Cornwall will now receive free school meals, without their families having to fill in any paperwork....It will also bring substantial additional pupil premium funding into Cornish schools, helping them provide extra support where it is most needed.”FSM Auto Award was implemented ahead of new national eligibility rules introduced by the Department for Education from September this year.Under the new rules, all households receiving Universal Credit become eligible for free school meals, with the current household income threshold being removed.

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/together-for-families/new-council-process-sees-14-000-more-children-receive-free-school-meals-in-cornwall/

Last updated: 28/09/2026 10:48:53

Plans to cut congestion and improve safety outside a Saltash school by restricting traffic at the end of the school day have gone out to consultation....Philip Desmonde, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport, said: “Anyone who either lives by a school or has been on school ‘pick up’ duties will know how congested roads become....Our proposal to make the restrictions permanent aim to create a better environment for everyone – tackling congestion and improving air quality, as well as it making it easier and safer for people to walk and cycle to school.”

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/transport-streets-and-waste/more-transport-streets-and-waste-news-stories/residents-asked-for-views-on-saltash-school-street-proposals/

Last updated: 02/10/2025 10:40:15

Cornwall Council and partners are working with students at Mounts Bay Academy on a project aimed at reducing vehicle idling at school pick up and drop off times....A team of 23 students from Mounts Bay Academy have been selected to come up with different ways of trying to reduce the number of vehicles idling around the school, particularly during school drop-off and pick-up times, and encourage parents and pupils to consider more environmentally friendly ways of getting to and from school....A recent survey completed by Mounts Bay Academy pupils highlighted that the most popular way of getting to school was by bus (41%) followed by car (34%). 21% of students said they walked to school.

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/environment-culture-and-planning/cornwall-council-works-with-pupils-to-reduce-number-of-vehicles-idling-around-school/

Last updated: 03/03/2023 08:26:25

Cornwall Council is introducing a new process to help more eligible children receive free school meals without families needing to apply.Called the Free School Meals (FSM) Auto Award, the new process automatically checks whether some children are eligible for free school meals and enrols them if they qualify.The Council will use information it already holds to identify children who may qualify, including those who currently receive free meals and households that receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support from Cornwall Council.Families do not need to take any action at this stage....The Council will contact families who are identified through the automatic checking process and explain any next steps.The change comes ahead of new national eligibility rules being introduced by the Department for Education from September this year.Under the new rules, all households receiving Universal Credit will be eligible for free school meals, with the current household income threshold being removed....Where eligibility is confirmed, children will be automatically enrolled to receive free school meals.Parents and carers who are not identified through the Auto Award process, or whose circumstances change during the year, can still apply through the online Parent Portal.Cllr Hilary Frank, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families, said:“A healthy meal during the school day can help children concentrate, feel well and get the most from their education.

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/together-for-families/more-children-to-get-free-schools-meals-with-new-automatic-check/

Last updated: 15/07/2026 11:10:19

Parents in Cornwall find out today (Thursday, April 16) which primary school their child has been allocated, with almost 96% offered their first preference.   ...Cornwall Council received 4,757 applications for reception places for September 2026, of which 4,559 have been offered a place at their first preference school.        ...Almost every child (99.52%) in Cornwall received a place at their first, second or third preference school this year, compared to 99.28% last year.   

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/together-for-families/almost-96-of-children-in-cornwall-secure-place-at-preferred-primary-school/

Last updated: 16/04/2026 08:11:14

Cornwall Council received 5,555 applications for places for September 2026, of which 5,437 have been offered a place at their first preference school.         ...Almost every child (99.62%) in Cornwall received a place at their first, second or third preference school this year, compared to 99.97% last year.   ...Cllr Hilary Frank, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families at Cornwall Council, said:    “We know that National Offer Day can be a worrying time for families so it’s brilliant that so many received the news they wanted today.

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/together-for-families/almost-98-of-children-in-cornwall-secure-place-at-preferred-secondary-school/

Last updated: 02/03/2026 10:00:59

More than 50 pupils from 14 schools learnt about democracy and politics on a special trip to Cornwall Council’s headquarters. ...Lulabelle, from Indian Queens Primary School, said:  “It’s been very fun....Flo, from St Minver School, added:  “It’s been really fun and we’ve learned how Cornwall is trying to take care of older people.

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/together-for-families/pupils-from-14-schools-visit-cornwall-council-s-hq-for-a-taste-of-life-in-politics/

Last updated: 02/12/2025 14:44:10

Cornwall Council will soon be using cars fitted with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras to help tackle dangerous parking outside schools....The Highway Code states that you must not wait or park, or stop to set down and pick up passengers, on school entrance markings....The cameras attached to the Council’s Mobile Enforcement Vehicles record vehicles parked on school ‘keep clear’ zig-zags.

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/transport-streets-and-waste/more-transport-streets-and-waste-news-stories/cornwall-council-clamps-down-on-dangerous-parking-outside-schools/

Last updated: 11/12/2024 10:43:45

During the celebratory event, four of the schools (Trewirgie Infants & Nursery School, Coads Green Primary School, Treloweth School and St Meriadoc CE Junior Academy) received their Bronze Award, after enjoying themselves over the last year embedding Cornish language in day-to-day school activities....‘Lammer Lymm’ Keen Beans awarded to the KS1 children of St Breward Community Primary School....‘Goraswonnek Pellwolok’ Television Celebrity was awarded to the current Y6 pupils of Treloweth Primary School for their features on BBC and ITV programmes and ‘Kampyer Kampyoryon’ Champion’s Champion was awarded to Kirsten Maun, Year 1 Teacher at Trewirgie Infants & Nursery School, for her dedication and enthusiasm to the Cornish language and Go Cornish programme.

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/council-news/environment-culture-and-planning/schools-receive-special-award-for-embracing-the-cornish-language/

Last updated: 06/03/2023 10:42:54