School Meals
School Meal Costs
School Meals cost £3.00 from September 2025. £15 per week.
Payment
Payment for school meals should be paid in advance via the School Spider App (please see the School Spider section of the website for details of how to register). We are a cashless school, therefore we no longer accept money in school for payment of meals.
For information regarding how arrears of school meals will be dealt with, please see the school's Debt Management Policy below.
Universal Free School Meals
From September 2014 children in Reception Class, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free school meal under a new government initiative. Should your child wish to have a school meal it will be free of charge whilst they are in these classes.
Year 3 & above
Your child may be able to get free school meals if you receive any of the following:
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.
School Meal Provider - Taylor Shaw
Taylor Shaw provides freshly prepared, nutritious school meals across the UK, adhering to Government School Food Standards and Food for Life Bronze standards. They cater to primary and secondary schools, focusing on sustainably sourced ingredients (Red Tractor meat, MSC fish) and offering themed menus, "Healthy Swaps" campaigns, and tailored dietary/allergen support.
Key Features of Taylor Shaw School Dinners:
Menu Quality: Menus are designed to be modern and appealing, often featuring favorites like pasta, curries, and roast dinners, along with salad bars.
Healthy Eating: 90% of meals are freshly prepared daily. They actively reduce fat and salt, and offer meat-free options through their "Green Earth Monday" initiative.
Dietary Support: They have dedicated dietitians to manage allergy-safe, vegetarian, and special dietary menus.
Service Features: Include themed menu days (e.g., Pop Ups like Burrito Bars), parent taster sessions, and "FAB4" mascots for younger children.
Sustainability: Focus on regional, seasonal produce to reduce carbon footprints.
Primary Offerings:
Primary: Often features a set, balanced menu designed to encourage healthy eating habits from a young age.
Managing Allergies & Other Medical Diets
Your child's health and safety will always be of the utmost importance to us, and having accurate information about dietary needs and allergies is crucial for us to prepare and serve meals that meet their requirements
Taylor Shaw’s dietitians and catering team work together and follow a robust process, so you can feel reassured that whenever safely possible, an alternative menu will be provided. All the teams receive allergy training annually, and whenever there’s an update to allergen laws.
Our guide ‘Medical Diet Menus - A Guide for Parents, Guardians & Carers’ contains further information about the medical diet process and includes step by step instructions for you to record this information to ensure we are fully aware of any medical diet requirements.
About Our Food
Our menu is sourced responsibly and uses:
Red Tractor-certified meat
Marine Stewardship Council fish (MSC)
Free-range eggs
Local suppliers for bread, fruit & vegetables, and dairy products to reduce food miles.
Seasonal produce
Eat & Learn
We encourage pupils to learn about food through our food education program which includes fun-themed events, assemblies, and displays with messaging around health and wellbeing.
Eating a School Lunch is Better for Your Child
Did you know only 1% of packed lunches meet the nutritional standards that currently apply to school food? Here are five reasons school lunches are better:
They can save time & money.
They’re nutritionally better than a packed lunch.
They promote a varied diet & encourage new tastes.
They support inclusivity, dining with friends.
They help academic attainment by being linked to improved concentration.
Packed Lunches
Children may bring a packed lunch from home as an alternative to a cooked school meal, please provide a healthy balanced lunch for your child. We ask that you do not include fizzy drinks or cans, breakable containers, sweets or chocolate. Please ensure the lunch is in a lunch bag, clearly marked with name and class, and provide a spoon if necessary as there may not be one available.
Please note that school policy requires two week's notice before the end of a half term to change dinner provision.