FSM Count
Calculated
Number of pupils eligible for free school meals
Understanding Free School Meals Count
The FSM Count shows the absolute number of students eligible for free school meals at the school. This raw count provides context about the scale of disadvantaged student population.
What This Tells You
The raw count is useful for: - Understanding absolute numbers of disadvantaged students - Comparing schools of similar sizes - Assessing resource needs
However, FSM percentage is usually more meaningful for comparisons, as it accounts for school size.
Context
A large school might have 200 FSM-eligible students (20% of 1000), while a small school might have 100 FSM-eligible students (50% of 200). The percentages tell you more about the school’s context than the raw numbers.
Why It Exists
This raw count is useful for: - Resource allocation calculations - Pupil Premium funding estimates - Statistical analysis requiring absolute numbers
For understanding a school’s demographic context, refer to the FSM percentage instead.
Technical Details
- Column Name
- fsm_count
- Data Source
- Calculated
Coverage by School Phase
How many schools have data available for this field.
This field does not contribute to the performance score calculation.
Distribution by School Phase
Statistical distribution of values across schools.
Related Fields
Fields that correlate with FSM Count. Click to explore.