School meals are a wonderful way to provide children with a nutritious, healthy, warm meal every day they are at school. These early learning experiences help children to developing positive eating habits which will have a significant impact when they are required to make their own food choices in secondary school.
Children who have a nutritionally balanced meal will be able to concentrate better during afternoon lessons. Also the act of children sitting down and eating lunch with their peers helps them develop social and interpersonal skills. Our catering is provided in house, ensuring that we have a varied, well balance menu with plenty of choice.
School meals and packed lunches must be logged in the Arbor App by parents / carers for every day. Choices can be made in advance for a day, week, month or term.
- Pupils in EYFS and Key Stage 1 (Reception and Years 1 & 2) – meals are currently available free of charge under the UIFSM (Universal Infant Free School Meal) scheme.
- Pupils in Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6) – the cost of a school meal is £3.25 per day, which is required in advance.
For children in years 3, 4, 5 and 6, please make note of the following:
- Only select meals up to the value of your available balance.
- If your account is in arrears, the outstanding balance must be cleared and additional funds added before continuing with meal selections.
- Any meals chosen that exceed the available balance will not be visible at school until they have been paid for.
Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are all entitled to a free cooked meal and many of our older children are also entitled to Free School Meals. If you require further information please contact the school office.
Even if you pay for them, school dinners offer great value at £3.25 each day; £16.25 each week. Payments for school meals can be made online through your Parent Pay account.
We are happy for children to change from cooked dinners to sandwiches daily. It helps us if you can book this via Arbor but we will also check with children each morning at registration
Our school meals are freshly cooked each day in our on-site, 5* rated kitchen. The children have a choice of four different meals each day including a meat or fish option, a vegetarian option, a filled jacket potato and a range of sandwiches. They book their meals in advance meaning every child gets to eat exactly what they want.
Puddings are served every day including a choice of fresh fruit or organic yogurt.
Vegetables, salad and bread are always offered too, plus a range of drinks.
Free School Meals / Pupil Premium
Did you know that School can claim additional funds from central Government for every child in ANY year group whose Parent/Carer is receiving one of the welfare benefits listed below?
- Universal Credit, provided they have an annual net earned income not exceeding £7,400 (£616.67 per month)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, provided they are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by HMRC
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
The additional funds are put towards valuable support like extra tuition, additional teaching and pupil welfare. If eligible, your child will also have the option of enjoying a Free School Meal every day.
So if you are in receipt of any of the benefits listed above we would be very grateful if you could complete our online form click here and check your eligibility.
Packed Lunches
If children eat well at lunchtime, they have more energy and better concentration levels and so are able to learn well in the afternoons.
Please help your child by following the school guidelines on packed lunches below
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Please be aware we are a nut free school due to a pupil with a severe nut allergy. |
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Sandwiches with a protein rich filling (i.e. tuna, cheese, cold meat, egg etc.) You could ring the changes sometimes with a different source of carbohydrate i.e. pasta or rice salad, filled wraps, pitta bread, crackers and cheese spread etc. |
| Fruit, salad and vegetables (i.e. carrot sticks, apples, grapes, tomatoes, oranges, plums, cucumber, sweetcorn, raisins etc) |
| Dairy food – a yoghurt or some cheese |
| Something (non-fizzy) to drink – low or no sugar if possible |
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An optional small snack or treat; i.e. crisps, a biscuit or cereal bar, a bun or scone, a “corner” yoghurt, cheese dunker, mousse, jelly etc. Only one of the above please. I have asked our lunchtime staff to encourage the children to eat their sandwiches, fruit, salad and dairy food BEFORE they eat any snacks or treat you may have included. |
Please don’t send sweets, chocolate bars or fizzy drinks as we will not allow your children to eat them.
Thank you for your support.
Deborah Meredith
Executive Headteacher