School Dinners
At St Chad’s, we believe that a daily nutritious meal at lunchtime is an essential part of the school day. It enables pupils to feel re-energised and ready for their afternoon learning.
All of our children in Reception and Key Stage 1 qualify for Universal Infant Free School Meals (this is a government scheme). All children receive a free school meal regardless of their parents’ income.
Our school dinners are eaten in our school hall. We view our lunchtimes as a very sociable occasion. Our children are encouraged to try new foods and practise good table manners. Staff will often eat their own lunches alongside the children in the dinner hall.
We have a group of Lunchtime Monitors (children in Year 1 and 2) who support our lunchtime staff with the tables and chairs and the tidying up of plates. Our older children are wonderful ambassadors to our younger children in Reception and will help them carry their trays.
We encourage all of our children to have a school dinner. Our school dinners are freshly cooked and nutritious. The use of a knife and fork also helps to strengthen little hands!
Our school dinner menus are regularly updated. Copies of our menus are sent home and displayed in the school office. Please encourage your child to look through the menu and choose their meal options.
Although we like our children to have a school dinner, we understand that some children prefer to eat a packed lunch from home. All of our children eat together in the hall. At St Chad’s, we are committed to the promotion of healthy eating. We aim to meet the School Food Standards across all of our school dinners and packed lunches. All packed lunches must meet with the School Food Standards. Packed lunches are regularly monitored by lunchtime staff to ensure that they are healthy. Food items containing high amounts of refined sugar must be kept to a minimum e.g. one small packet of crisps only.
Children can have their lunch at home, if parents prefer. Children must be collected at 12pm and dropped back off at 1pm.