DINNER MENU FROM APRIL 2024

SCHOOL DINNERS

School dinners are payable at a cost of £2.60 a day. If you are not entitled to Free School Meals, you will be issued with codes that enable you to log onto a website called ParentPay. Through this site, you can pay for your child/childrens’ school dinner online. Your ParentPay account needs to be in credit in order for us to let your child have a school dinner. If you have any queries with regard to paying for school dinners or if you think you are entitled to Free School Meals, please talk to the School Office.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO IF MY CHILD NEEDS TO FAST DURING THE SCHOOL DAY?

For Fasting/Ramadan - Parents need to give written permission to the school office, if they want their children to fast during Ramadan. Please specify the child's name, class, & on which days this will be happening. Then sign and date the letter. Without confirmation we will be feeding the children. If fasting, please provide your child with water and a healthy snack should they become ill or decide they wish to stop the fast. 

If your child requires Halal options due to religious reasons please pick up a form from the school office. 

WHAT DO I DO IF MY CHILD HAS AN ALLERGY OR FOOD INTOLERANCE?

If your child has an allergy or food intolerance please let us know asap by clicking here for a form, this form needs to be completed in full and returned to admin@caterlink.co.uk

Please note that until a special menu has been provided for your child it is your responsibility to provide your child with a packed lunch or alternatively ensure that the menu options are suitable for your child each day.

LUNCH MENUS 

Many parents have asked for further support and information to help them make an informed decision around school meals. The Little Book of Goodness written by the School Food Trust is designed to address these concerns. For further information from the local authority, click here.

We work with our contractors, Autograph Education, to create the menus which include:   

• A variety of red meat and poultry dishes all to the red tractor standard.
• Sustainable fish including omega-3 rich oily fish.
• Locally sourced free-range eggs.
• Balanced vegetarian dishes.
• Rice.
• Pasta.
• A wide choice of fresh fruit, vegetables and salad.
• Fresh bread, cooked on-site daily.

Please see a copy of the menu.

Children may bring packed lunches if preferred. Information on what makes a healthy packed lunch can be found here.

DOES YOUR CHILD QUALIFY FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS? 

Children whose parents receive one of the following benefits will be entitled to receive Free School Meals:

• Income Support.

• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance.

• Income-related employment and support allowance.

• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

• Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income that does not exceed £16,190 (as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs). Note: Where a parent is entitled to Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after their employment ceases, or after they start to work less than 16 hours per week, their children are entitled to free school lunches.

• The guarantee element of State Pension Credit.

If you are in receipt of any Working Tax Credit, you will not be eligible to apply for Free School Meals. 

SCHOOL DINNER PRICE INCREASE OCTOBER 2023

Primary School Meals – Annual Price Review- Message from School Meals Team

In line with the annual price review, we can confirm that due to inflation and increasing food and labour costs from Monday 30th October, we’re having to raise the price by 35p to £2.60.

We’re extremely sorry to have to take this action, but without a price rise schools will face further financial pressures which could affect the amount of money schools have for delivering education.

The price rise has been held back from the start of the new academic year to help support families, but unfortunately it cannot be delayed any longer.

The school meals contractor, Caterlink, will continue to provide high quality ingredients and the expected standards of food such as Red Tractor standard meat, sustainable fish and local free-range eggs meeting the Soil Associations Silver Food for Life Accreditation.

The new cost of a school meal in Brighton & Hove is lower than neighbouring areas. In East Sussex a school meal costs £2.85 and in West Sussex it’s £2.71, with a review being carried out in January 2024.

I hope you will agree that this still represents good value for money.