School Meals
School Meals
At Barrington Primary School children may book a school dinner or bring a packed lunch for lunchtime.
The Government have recognised that good food at school is particularly valuable for the youngest of our children and have therefore introduced a free meal for infants as a new legal duty for schools to deliver. All children attending school in their first three years of school will be entitled to free school meals. By receiving our infant school meals you can save up to £400 a year and ensure your child is eating a healthy, balanced meal every day.
There are very high nutritional standards for school meals and they consistently offer children a third of their nutritional requirements every day which is essential to their growth and development. Having a meal at school has been proven to help children settle to learning quicker, improve their concentration and help with their energy levels to get them through an active school day.
Working with HCL, the catering company who supply our hot meals, the freshly made meals are cooked on our premises each day and always include a vegetarian option. Fresh fruit and vegetables alongside access to the salad bar is a priority for our children. The meals have been designed for nutritional balance and, where possible, the school will cater for those children with allergies.
The cost for a single dinner is £3.05 daily.
The office handles all transactions for school meals, and payments can take be made electronically using School Gateway online. We are a cashless school and can offer a PAY Point voucher which you use to pay in cash at a local Post Office or PayPoint. If you have any questions relating to the school meals (or need a login for School Gateway) please contact the school office.
So why choose a school lunch?
Children having a school lunch are:
- Encouraged to eat a wider variety of foods
- More likely to eat fruit and vegetables every day
- Less likely to drink sweet drinks and have water instead
- Served balanced meals that are more likely to reach the guideline amounts of vitamins and minerals
Children from households with lower incomes may be entitled to free school meals. Please note that if your child receives free school meals at the end, their entitlement will continues and you do not need to re-apply for the new school year.
Families who are currently paying for school meals will save around £400 a year for each primary school child if they are entitled to free school meals many schools have systems which mean it is impossible for other pupils to know who is receiving free school meals school children who are eligible for free school meals are entitled to a two course meal each day.
Can we "count you in?"
When you apply for free school meals, you will also allow your school to receive Pupil Premium - extra money to support children from families on lower incomes, please apply for free school meals.