School Meals
All our school meals are prepared ‘In house’ by our own Catering Team using fresh ingredients. We try and source local ingredients wherever possible.
Producing our own meals is an important part of our school and we include the children when designing our healthy menu. The Academy has a service level agreement with Essex to ensure our kitchen meets all the required regulations.
Every day there is a meat or vegetarian option, as well as baked potatoes with various toppings. The pupil’s choices are made by a coloured wrist band system. All meals include a dessert.
Following the introduction of Universal Free School meals in September 2014 all children in Key Stage one (Infants) are entitled to a free hot meal each day. The cost of a school meal for Key Stage two children (juniors) is £2.30 per day. This can be paid weekly, monthly, half termly or termly in advance or on the day. Payments can be made online through ParentPay.
Lunchtime is from 12.00pm to 13.00pm for infant pupils and 12.15pm to 13.15pm for juniors. There is a rota so that the year groups take turns to go into lunch first.
Lunchtime Buddies
Our year 6 children help out at lunchtime with a range of jobs. They wear a green band to show that they are lunchtime buddies. Jobs include: Putting away the toys / equipment; engaging with the younger children and initiating games; modelling good behaviour etc.
Why choose a school meal?
Children use up a great deal of energy during a full school day. They need to concentrate during lessons, let off steam at play times and recharge their batteries for the afternoon. Eating a school meal helps to achieve this and provides the following:
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- Hot, Healthy and Nutritionally Balanced Menus.
- A selection of homemade products and recognised meals that provide choice and variety to suit all tastes.
- A two course school meal at £2.30 represents outstanding value for money when compared with other options available at lunchtime.
- Convenience – saving you time preparing packed lunches.
- Enhanced learning abilities – studies have shown that children concentrate better in lessons if they have had a fulfilling lunchtime meal.
- Teaches children the social skills involved with eating with others and how to make choices.
- By having a school lunch your child can receive two of their 5-a-day portions of fruit and vegetables.