School Meals

Our school meals are provided by Apetito who we work very closely with to ensure that they can meet all our requirements including soft diets and special diets such as gluten free/dairy free. 

• Meals are charged at £2.50 per day.
• A new menu is sent home before the end of each half term. 
• Parents/Carers/Child choose their meals for that following half term and return the order together with FULL ADVANCE PAYMENT for the number of meals required. We will be unable to order ANY meals without advance payment. 
• This order should then be returned to the office, before the school breaks up to ensure that meals are ordered for the first day back. 

SICKNESS

If your child is off ill, meals for the first two days will still be charged however, subsequent days can be cancelled with notice.  It is imperative that you advise the school office if your child will not be in school. 

Free School Meals

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free school meal under the Government's Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme.

From 1 September 2026, eligibility for benefits-related Free School Meals is also being expanded. Children living in households receiving Universal Credit will be entitled to a free school meal, regardless of household income.

There are two categories of benefits-related Free School Meals:

• Targeted Free School Meals – for children in households receiving Universal Credit with annual earned income of £7,400 or less, as well as children meeting certain other qualifying criteria. Children in this category may also attract Pupil Premium funding for their school.
• Expanded Free School Meals – for children in households receiving Universal Credit whose annual earned income is above £7,400. These children will receive a free school meal but will not attract Pupil Premium funding on the basis of this entitlement.

• Working Tax Credit

  Working Tax Credit is not a qualifying benefit for benefits-related Free School Meals. However, children may be eligible during the four-week Working Tax Credit run-on period after a parent or carer stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit.

If you think your child may be eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals, we encourage you to apply even if your child is already receiving a free meal through the Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme. This may enable the school to receive additional Pupil Premium funding to support your child.

Please contact the school or your local authority for information about how to apply.

Ordering School Meals

School meals should be ordered in accordance with the arrangements explained above. Please ensure that any required forms are completed and returned by the deadline given by the school.

*PUPIL PREMIUM (up to age 16)

Pupil premium is something available to families on lower incomes and means your child gets a free school lunch.

But did you know it can also bring in some money to the school? We are given some money for each child who is on the pupil premium register. We can use this money to enhance an aspect of our provision that those children on our register can benefit from. For example, we have used it in the past to buy in extra therapy support, or help us to afford booster classes in English and Maths. Not only does it bring extra money into the school, but when the new funding formula comes in, the amount of money that each local authority gets to support children and young people with special educational needs / disabilities will be partly calculated on the number of pupils on the pupil premium register.

So – even if your child would not benefit from a free school lunch, PLEASE apply for pupil premium if you think you might be entitled to it. You will really be helping your child’s school.

SOFT DIETS

Apetito are able to produce a range of soft diets incorporating the general menu – adjustments are made to the menu to accommodate this method of food preparation.   Meal numbers should be ordered in the same way as above.

For any further information contact your child's class teacher or the office on 01202 693239.