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School lunches

We ask parents to encourage their child to participate in having school meals, providing them with a healthy, appetising, and nutritious lunch.

This could benefit your child by:

  • Providing a balanced meal which will help improve concentration and learning in the afternoons.
  • Introducing your child to a wide range of food.
  • Developing social skills through sitting down at a table together with their peers and enjoying a meal.

Pupils can order school meals in class on a daily basis. We suggest that parents discuss the meal options with their children at the weekend, ideally on a Sunday evening, so that children are aware of the meal choices available that week.

Click the link at the bottom of the page to view our menu.

Reception Class and Key Stage 1

All children in Reception Class and KS1 are entitled to a free school meal under the current Government Universal Free School meals scheme.

Key Stage 2

For children in Key Stage 2 the cost of a school lunch is £2.50 per day.

We run a very strict no debt policy and work very hard with our families to achieve this. Payment for school meals should be paid for in advance. If you are unable to pay for school lunches for any reason, please come and speak to us in confidence, so we can find a solution that meets everyone’s needs.

Payment for school meals can be made via an online payment service called ParentPay. We operate a cashless system at Abbey Woods and encourage all our families to pay online as this is the simplest method. If you have not used ParentPay before, please register with the school office to do so.

In exceptional circumstances the school can support those parents who are unable to pay online. A PayPoint card can be issued from the school office. The PayPoint card is linked to your child’s meal account and can be used at most local shops. Please note this card can only be used to pay for school meal and you will require one card per child.

Key Stage 2 – Free School Meals

Families who meet certain criteria are entitled to claim free school meals for their child. It is important that all parents/carers who qualify take up their entitlement so that their child can receive a school meal each day. To find out if your child is eligible for free school meals, go to the Applying for Free School Meals page. 

Packed lunches

Children who do not wish to have a cooked school meal can bring a packed lunch instead. Parents are asked to ensure that they are providing their child with a nutritionally balanced lunch that does not include sweets, chocolate or sugary drinks.

The school does not currently have a Packed Lunch Policy however, we do monitor the quality of packed lunches and will discuss any concerns that may arise directly with parents.

Some children bring a packed lunch for very specific reasons, including special dietary requirements or food allergies, and religious observance, so do please remind your child that it is important they do not swap or share their food with other children.

Dining together

We are committed to providing a welcoming eating environment that encourages the positive social and cultural interaction of our pupils. As part of this commitment, we:

  • support children, particularly those in Reception Class, who find the physical process of school dinners or packed lunch difficult, for example, carrying trays or opening tubs and packets
  • encourage all children to eat the food they are given
  • treat children having school dinners and packed lunches equally, in terms of provision and supervision
  • provide water for everyone
  • encourage children to wash their hands before eating.