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Chris,
The DFE have always preferred that vouchers are used instead of cash being given directly to learners. It is a way to ensure that money is genuinely being spent on the item required, but of course as you have said, if it is administratively impractical then you carry on as you are. You should do what it best for the learners, and also a cost effective process overall for yourselves.
Paul.
Chris Roberts
Bursary - Free School Meal Vouchers
Created
Morning all
We have recently gone into partnership with a local cafe to provide food for all learners that are eligible for FSM. We have set up a voucher based system which is redeemed with the vendor and then reconciled against the daily attendance recorded in our MIS.
However this is very time consuming, based on 80 learners we have on a 4 day week that roughly makes about 13000 vouchers if every learner was eligible.
We have always used BACS and paid the learners directly into their bank account, which has always resulted in passing any DFE audit we have had.
The guidance states;
You should either:
provide a meal free of charge to eligible students
fund the free meal via an electronic credit or voucher that can be redeemed on-site (or off-site where you have arrangements with nearby food outlets)
Can anyone offer any advice around how an auditor would approach the voucher evidence please? Are the attendance records enough to match the in year payments or do they need to see all vouchers signed by the learner etc?
Thanks
Chris