School Dinners
Children in F2, Year 1 and Year 2 currently receive Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) which is funded by the government.
If you think you may be eligible for benefits related Free School Meals (FSM) please see the leaflet and application form below or contact the school office for a form.
From September 2025 we are changing to a new catering provider!
Parents/Carers of children in F2, Year 1, Year 2 and children who receive free school meals must still register and book.
To ensure your child has a school dinner for when school begins in September, you must order by 11pm on Sunday 31 August.
As you will already be aware that we are moving from our current catering company, “Caterlink” to a new catering company “Innovate” from September.
With this move we wanted to remind you that from September we will no longer be using Arbor for Meals and therefore, please only top up your child’s meal account on Arbor for what your child would use until the end of this term 22 July 2025. (For information a meal costs £2.65.).
What will happen from September to order by child’s school dinner
You will receive an e-mail from the new catering company “Innovate”. Within the e-mail you will receive a link for each child to register them. Please note that you must register each child, and only 1 parent will be able to order the dinners.
Please be advised that from September all meal ordering will be dealt with directly by the external catering company. You will be required to order in advance for the week/s ahead and ensure you have the correct funds in your catering account. The minimum top up is £5. For Example (w/c 8TH September all lunch orders must be ordered by 11pm Sunday 7th September). The new meal price will be £2.57.
You will be able the access the system via an app on your smart phone, tablet or via the website – details will be sent shortly.
I have money on my child’s Arbor Meal account and it will not be used up by the end of term?
There will be a refund process available to parents if you have not used all the money in your Meal Arbor account. Communication on how to do this will be sent out by the end of term.
My child hardly ever has a school dinner, therefore how does this affect me?
Even if your child only has a school dinner now and again, please register them as you will need to use this system to order a dinner on School Census day and when the time comes the Christmas Dinner!
BENEFITS RELATED FREE SCHOOL MEALS - IMPORTANT UPDATE (March 2025)
From 1 April 2018 children entitled to Free School Meals (FSM) at any time remain entitled until they finish either primary or secondary education. This continues even if the family finances improve.
From 1 April 2025 entitlement to FSM will end if income increases above £7,400 annual net income over a three-month period (for example, more than £1,850 net income in the last three Universal Credit assessment periods).
For example:
Two children are in reception. Amar's mum registers her for free school meals in March 2025. Amar continues to be eligible for FSM until she finishes primary education - changes in family income don’t matter. Ben is also entitled to FSM but is not registered until April 2025. If the family income goes above £7,400 net per annum (£616.67 per month) FSM will end and will need to be reclaimed if income goes down again.
Free School Meals are worth over £500 per child, per school year.
Even though every child gets free school meals until the end of year 2, it’s still important to apply as the school will receive extra funding, which it can spend on things like extra resources, books or school trips.