Lunchtimes at School

The school works in collaboration with Alliance in Partnership (AiP) to provide a delicious range of healthy meals which are cooked on the premises. 

All pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in state-funded schools in England are eligible for universal infant free school meals (UIFSMs). Taking up your entitlement to this Universal Free School Meal offer, clearly gives families a substantial saving.

As a health promoting school we strongly encourage parents to take up this offer of a free hot meal for their child.

Children who do not have a hot school dinner can bring a healthy packed lunch. Food containers should be clearly marked with your child’s name. We ask for your co-operation in not giving your child fizzy drinks or sweets to bring into school. Glass bottles and cans should not be brought into school for safety reasons. Nuts should not be sent into school. Grapes provided in packed lunches should always be cut in half by a parent/guardian.

Shropshire Health Authority’s advice is that sandwiches may safely be stored on our sandwich trolleys for up to 4 hours. The LA cannot accept responsibility for the storage of food brought into schools by pupils, and parents should ensure that they make appropriate provision.

You can, if you wish, take your child home for lunch however most children enjoy the social time with their friends after lunch and this is a valuable part of their personal, social and emotional development. Our lunchtime supervisor in charge oversees the wellbeing of all children during lunchtime and she reports directly to the executive leadership team. She is assisted by a team of lunchtime supervisors. We welcome parental help in teaching children to use a knife, fork and spoon properly at meal times.

Paying for school meals when your child is in Key Stage 2 (Years 3-6):

In Key Stage 2 (Year 3 to 6) the cost of a school meal is currently £2.35

Meals can be paid for via our online Parent Mail system, all payment for school meals should be made in advance of the meal being taken. We are not able to accept cash payments. AiP deal with all parent payments for school meals.

All parents will be asked to provide contact details for the administrator to set up access to Parent Mail at the time of school enrolment.

The National School Fruit Scheme

We have signed up to this scheme, which entitles every infant child to a free piece of fruit each school day. The fruit is delivered to school in advance, for example, apples for Monday, pears for Tuesday and bananas for Wednesday etc. The aim of the national scheme is to increase fruit and vegetable consumption amongst children and so contribute to a reduction in the risk of heart disease and cancer in later life

Water

Research shows that children easily become dehydrated and this can affect their learning. Therefore, children are encouraged to bring a named plastic bottle of fresh water (not juice) to school each day. These bottles are stored in the classroom on the side and children can take small drinks from them whenever they feel the need.

FREE SCHOOL MEALS AND PUPIL PREMIUM

Have your circumstances changed?

Is your child now eligible for free school meals?

If your income is limited or your circumstances have changed since you last checked your eligibility, you may now be entitled to Free School Meals for your child and other benefits.  You can apply on-line at http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/free-school-meals/apply-for-free-school-meals/

If you qualify for government free school meals under the benefit criteria your eligibility will be confirmed to you as well as your child’s school.  

Who qualifies for government free school meals?

Free school meals are available to pupils in receipt of, or whose parents are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:

• Universal credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
• 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 guarantee 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 four weeks after you stop qualifying for working tax credit.

Even if your child does not want to have school meals, the benefits of registering your eligibility go way beyond free dinners.  For example, anyone registered for a free school meal is entitled to a reduction in the cost of residential school visits and may also be entitled to remissions for other school activities (in accordance with the school’s Charging and Remission Policy). During, and for some time after the pandemic, parents of children who were eligible for free school meals also received food vouchers to cover the cost of their child’s lunches in school holiday periods. Checking your eligibility now would ensure your child didn’t miss out on any future schemes. Many eligible families have used the HAF scheme vouchers to access free holiday clubs over the summer and this scheme continues in all main holiday periods (excluding half-term breaks).

In addition to this, for every registered pupil entitled to free school meals, the school receives a lump sum of additional funding (known as Pupil Premium) which the school can then spend on ensuring your child makes really good progress. We publish on our website site how spend our Pupil Premium funding.

We are specifically asking parents and guardians of pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, who think they might be eligible for Free School Meals, to complete the on-line form despite the Universal Infant Free School Meal Offer.  We will then be able to confirm whether the school is entitled to claim the Pupil Premium for your child.  No child or family will be discriminated against because they receive this benefit.  Whichever way you look at it there is a lot to be gained by making an application.  Please feel free to contact us if you would like further information or access to a computer to make your application.

Please do make an application if you think you might be eligible. School budgets have been further stretched recently by the increase in the cost of living, particularly in respect of our energy costs, and support right now in making an application if you are eligible is needed more than ever!

Alliance In Partnership (AiP) providing the food offer at St Mary's Bluecoat C of E Primary School.