Automating Eligibility Checks and FSM Reporting with Confidence
Ensuring that every eligible child receives access to Free School Meals (FSM) is a critical responsibility for local authorities and education providers. Sentinel’s FSM Data Management Solution simplifies and automates the process of identifying eligible pupils and generating accurate, compliant reports for claims and audits.
By matching pupil records with parent or guardian eligibility data, such as DWP/ADMS reports, our platform eliminates manual processing, reduces administrative errors, and ensures no eligible family is missed. The result is faster, more accurate reporting and increased take-up of FSM support.
Success Story
Devon County Council
In partnership with Sentinel, Devon County Council have become the first two-tier authority in the country to implement automatic free school meal (FSM) enrolment for eligible pupils.
Using innovative data matching to ensure more than 1,000 children who were previously missing out are now receiving healthy meals at school and helping schools unlock over £1.5 million in additional Pupil Premium funding.
Sentinel played a key role in this achievement by matching council and Department for Work and Pensions data to accurately identify every child entitled to FSM, dramatically reducing manual processing, improving data accuracy and speed, and making the enrolment process safer, quicker and future-proofed.
Powerful Features, Real Impact
Automated Eligibility Matching
Match adult eligibility records (e.g. from DWP/ADMS reports) against pupil data to identify children eligible for FSM with speed and accuracy.
End-to-End Claim Generation
Generate full claims reports with a single click, ready for export to internal systems or submission to funding bodies.
Customisable Screening and Verification
Use the built-in screening tool to apply additional checks or refine your data before finalising reports.
Accurate Household Profiling
Link pupils with adult relationships to build a complete household view, ensuring all qualifying children are captured.
Improved Compliance and Audit Readiness
Maintain a clear audit trail and ensure adherence to national eligibility guidelines with transparent, reportable processes.
Time and Resource Savings
Significantly reduce manual effort and data handling, freeing up staff time to focus on service delivery.
