If your child is attending school full-time they will be staying for lunch time. Please ensure you make arrangements for their lunches. As of September 2014, all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a school meal under the Government’s Universal Free School Meals Scheme.
Paid School Meals
All payments for school meals from September 2021 will be made via the Arbor Parent Portal/App. All payments are made online. Once your child starts attending school full-time you will receive an email asking you to login to the School Management Information Portal/App called Arbor. This is where you will have access to your child’s details and payments.
School meal accounts must be in credit for your child to receive a school meal and so you must as a matter of urgency make the necessary payments. School meals cost £2.10 per day and we suggest you pay at least one week (£10.50) in advance to keep the account in credit. If your account goes in to debt you will be asked to provide your child with a packed lunch till the account is in credit again.
All parents need to choose either a school dinner or a packed lunch for their child for the entire term. In order to reduce food wastage, children can no longer choose different meal types on different days of the week.
Reception, Year 1 & Year 2 only – Universal Free School Meals
From September 2014 all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classes will receive a free hot meal at lunchtime in school. This is in line with the Government’s drive to ensure every infant school child has a healthy and nutritious lunch provided by the school to enhance their development and well-being and also to build on good eating routines.
Eligibility to Free School Meals and the Pupil Premium Grant
All parents are encouraged to apply for Free School Meals and the Pupil Premium Grant. It is very important to the school that all parents complete the registration and application for the above by going to Hackney Education Free School Meals page regardless of whether your child is receiving the Reception to Year 2 Government Funded Universal Free School Meal or whether they just have packed lunches. The school receives extra funding (Pupil Premium Grant) for each pupil who is eligible for free school meals based on their family circumstances which is used towards supporting teaching and learning. The school website has a breakdown of how these funds are used.
Please note that we are unable to provide your child with a free school meal until we have received written confirmation from Hackney Education.
Packed Lunches
You are welcome to provide your child with a packed lunch which should contain healthy foods. The school meals comprise of a healthy organic (where possible) menu with lots of fresh vegetables and interesting meals. We would like to see all the children eating healthily. Therefore, packed lunches must not contain crisps, chocolates and sugary drinks. There are lots of alternatives. A good place for ideas is the NHS Change For Life site:
https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/recipes/healthier-lunchboxes
You can also check out the NHS Eat Well Guide https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/
IMPORTANT: we are a NUT-FREE school and children must not bring any foods containing nuts. We have a growing number of children with serious allergies so please help us keep everyone safe.
