School Meals
Lunch Menu
Our school lunches are provided by HCL (for more information go to www.hcl.co.uk)
From the HCL website:
You can rate/vote for your child’s favourite dishes
You can also apply for a special menu. Go to www.hcl.co.uk and use the Allergies tab to find out more about HCL’s cultural, lifestyle or allergy menus. The application process is a quick, easy and secure way to receive one of HCL’s specially designed menus. Once you’ve created your secure HCL menu account, it’s easy to update it with additional information, advise that your child no longer requires a special menu, or they have moved to a new school.
School Grid
Working in partnership with your caterer HCL, our award winning ordering system helps children get the meals that they want. The new system also cuts down on paperwork and staff time. You can go to SchoolGrid website to view menus and order meals from home.
Pre-ordering is done by the parent and child at home. Vegetarian options are clearly displayed on a green button. It’s really easy and you can order for a day or a whole term! The cut-off for ordering is 9:30 on the day in question.
At lunchtime, the children select their name on a touchscreen. Their meal choice is displayed to the cook, as well as their dietary needs. If a mismatch is detected, the cook will advise of an alternative.
School Gateway
You can make online payments to school via credit or debit card using a service called ‘School Gateway’.
You can make online payments via the School Gateway smartphone app or website. You can also view school meal balances and top them up at any time.
We will notify you by text or email when new items such as school trips or tickets for events are available for payment on School Gateway. You will also be able to give online consent, where required, for your child to take part in activities.
Aside from saving the school time and money on administration, School Gateway will also make it easier for parents to pay any time 24-7 and reduce the amount of cash being carried by children on school premises.
Free School Meals
To apply for free school meals, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals
Your child may be eligible for free school meals if you receive any of the following:
- 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 guaranteed 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 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit;
- Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get).