Free School Meals

Free School Meals, And Food In School

If your child receives free school dinners then the money is put on their account daily, and only I know that they are ‘on dinners’.

I also have pupils that are entitled to meals, but do not take advantage of it, therefore your money is being given back to the council.

If you are in receipt of any of the following allowances then your child is entitled to a free school meal:

  • Income Support
  • Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
  • Support under part IV of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
  • Income Related Employment and Support Allowance

Here at Saint Benedict, we use a cashless system for meals, and pupils have a biometric account. If your child has a free lunch, then your child’s account is credited every day. The system is anonymous, so this means that none of your child’s peers will know if they receive a free meal and they will be able to take their meal without anyone knowing that they are ‘on dinners’.

We allow students to spend their free meal money from 11:00. We provide a full hot and cold meal service. The main part of which is a weekly menu that is made up of two main hot meals of the day and a vegetarian hot meal of the day, with a choice of potatoes and vegetables, and a hot pudding with custard. We also have a salad and jacket potato bar, a sandwich bar, a pasta bar and a deli where the students can buy a variety of goods from sandwiches and drinks, to fruit and soup. An example of a weekly menu may be found on the school’s website.

All of our lunchtime food is homemade here in our kitchen and not just cooked from frozen. All our sandwiches, and wraps are made here by our dedicated and hard working staff. We also make all our own cakes and biscuits.

By using our lunchtime service you can put your mind at rest, safe in the knowledge that your child has had a healthy, hot and nutritious meal here at school; they may only need a snack type supper in the evening, saving you time and money.

Further reading:

http://www.derby.gov.uk/education-and-learning/schools-and-colleges/free-school-meals/