School Meals

From September 2014 Universal Free School Meals for the Infants were introduced. This entitles any child from Reception to Year 2 to have a free school meal.

The cost of school meals for the Juniors is £3.30

Children may bring packed lunches to school but there are certain rules that we must ask you and your children to respect:

• The children will be accommodated at tables in the Dining Room and will be in the charge of teachers on duty and midday supervisory assistants at all times.
• Please do not bring in any foods containing nuts or seeds.
• All food must be suitably wrapped and placed in named boxes.
• Drinks may be brought in cartons or named flasks.
• A beaker of water will be available for children who do not bring their own drink.
• Cans, fizzy drinks and glass bottles should NOT be brought in.
• Sweets and chocolate should also NOT be included in packed lunches since we encourage a healthy eating policy within the school.
• Please cut all sandwiches, cake etc. into suitably small pieces, preferably ‘quarters’ rather than ‘halves’.
• Spoons must be provided for yoghurts etc.

It will be assumed that only food that each child likes will be included and that the amount sent is what parents expect to be eaten. All empty cartons, wrappings and any uneaten food will be placed back into lunchboxes to be taken home.

• We have a significant number of children at school who have allergies – not just to nuts and seeds, but to many different things, including dairy, gluten and different fruits. It is very difficult to make sure that no child with an allergy takes home food which contains ingredients they are allergic to, which could harm them.
• We have children at HRS who for dietary reasons cannot consume certain foods. Again, it is very difficult to make sure that no child with a health dietary requirement, takes home food which contains ingredients they are not allowed to consume, which could harm them.
• We are lucky to have children and families at our school who come from a whole range of backgrounds, with different cultural beliefs. It is very difficult to make sure that no child is given something which contravenes their family’s cultural or religious beliefs, for example gelatin, which is often found in cakes and sweets, is an animal derived product and therefore is not suitable for children who are vegetarians for cultural or religious reasons
• In addition, healthy eating is an important message which is important to us as a school - giving out sweets contradicts this important message.
• Finally, we as a school are aware of the cost-of-living pressures on families, some of whom may find keeping up with a tradition of bringing sweets and chocolates into school, financially challenging.