Chartwells are our school’s caterers from September 2022

School Lunches cost £2.81 per day – from April 2024.

Please click on the link to see our menus for Autumn/Winter 2024

AW 24 Standard 3 Choice Menu (2)

There is always 3 choices of main meal served with accompaniments and vegetables including a sandwich or baguette option.

Fresh Fruit and Water are always available.

The good news is that currently any child that attends an infant school or infant classes from reception to Year 2 then school meals will be free to them.

The success of the Free School Meal pilot in Durham has influenced a Government policy decision to make funds available to ensure that all infant children can access a free school meal.

Smart School Dinners

If your child is having a school dinner, try and encourage them to choose the healthier items. Here is some advice for them on what to pick and what to leave on the hot plate.

Why Fork Out?

By registering for free school meals you could save up to £350 per child per year. Yet every year, thousands of families across the country miss out on free school meals. There are also other costs savings for you on After School Clubs and Educational Visits including Day Camp and UK residential trips. Don’t miss out!

If you are the parent or carer of a child who attends a County Durham school, they may qualify for free school meals if you receive any of the following benefits or tax credits:

• Pension Credit (guarantee element)
• Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Child Tax Credit and you have a gross annual household income of no more than £16,190
• Eligible Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Universal Credit

Note: You cannot get free school meals if your Tax Credit award includes any amount of Working Tax Credit.

To apply, simply, pick up an application form from your child’s school, or download one from the Durham County Council website at www.durham.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals

Completed forms need to be returned to your child’s school with proof of benefit entitlement.

If you have any questions you can contact the school meals team on 03000 268 002 / 003.

If you’re not sure what benefits you’re getting, or you have a benefit query or need advice on any benefit problem you can contact Durham County Council Welfare Rights Service by telephone or e-mail:

Telephone: 03000 268 968 Monday to Friday from 9am to 12 noon

E-mail: welfare.rights@durham.gov.uk

Packed Lunches

The full Policy for Packed Lunches is available from the school office.

Important Facts

This packed lunch policy fits within a wider context of promoting a whole school approach to food and healthy eating.

• Children’s packed lunches should be based on the ‘Eatwell Plate’ model which shows items the 5 main food groups; (Food Standards Agency 2007).

Bread, Rice, Potatoes, Pasta
These starchy foods are a healthy source of energy. Packed lunches should include 2 or more portions.

Fruit and Vegetables
These foods provide vitamins, minerals and fibre. Lunches should include at least 1 portion of fruit and 1 portion of vegetables / salad, or more.

Milk and Dairy foods
These foods provide calcium for healthy bones and teeth. Include 1 portion at lunch

Meat, Fish, Eggs, Beans
These foods provide protein for growth. Packed lunches should include 1 portion of these foods

Foods and drinks high in fat and / or sugar
It is important not to fill up on too many foods that are high in fat and / or sugar at the expense of other more nutritious foods. Limiting high fat and sugar foods will help protect young people from becoming overweight as well as helping prevent tooth decay, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. This is why sweets, chocolate, crisps, cereal bars, fruit bars, toffee/salted popcorn, squash and fizzy drinks are no longer available in schools. Please support your school by not including these items in a packed lunch.***(see below)

Drinks
any drinks provided in lunch boxes should only include either plain water, milk (semi-skimmed), unsweetened fresh fruit juice, diluted fresh fruit juice, fruit or dairy based smoothies.

To ensure consistency and to keep packed lunches in line with food standards for school meals, packed lunches must not contain the following:

• Fizzy / squash or sugary drinks in cartons, bottles or cans
• Chocolate-coated products including biscuits or cereal bars / sweets / confectionery
• Biscuits of any sort with added sugar.
• Cereal bars, fruit bars with added sugar
• Chocolate spread or Jam as a filling for sandwiches
• Chewing gum
• Sugared / toffee and salted popcorn
• Crisps or any packet savoury snacks high in salt and fat
• Salted nuts

Please see the Children First website for advice.

Pack a punch at lunch

Your child’s lunch box should contain:

• carbohydrate, such as bread, rice, pasta with a protein source, such as meat, fish, chicken or
• vegetarian alternative;
• some salad and a piece of fruit;
• a bit of dairy, such as yoghurt, milk drink or cheese and a scrummy snack like dried fruit or vegetable sticks;
• a drink (avoid fizzy rubbish) – go for thirst-quenching chilled water, semi-skimmed milk, sugar-free cordial or fruit juice.

Packed lunch ideas

Super sandwiches

• Super sarnies are always made with brown or wholemeal bread.
• Try to go without margarine or mayonnaise, or just spread a little on thinly.
• Good fillings are chicken, turkey or ham slices.
• Tinned fish like tuna or sardines gives you all the good oils.
• If having cheese choose Edam, feta, or low-fat cream cheese.
• Always add lots of crispy salad, this will help with your 5-a-day!
• Peanut butter is great but you don’t need butter or margarine as well.

Or, for a change

• Grab granary rolls, pittas, rye bread, tortilla wraps or bagels.
• Create cous cous, rice or pasta salad.
• Make traffic light kebabs with cheese, cooked meat and peppers on wooden skewers.
• On a cold day try a flask of tasty, warming soup.