School Meals

Free School Meals – Expanded Eligibility from September 2026

From September 2026, eligibility for free school meals (FSM) will be extended to all pupils from households receiving Universal Credit.

Who is Eligible

 There are now two categories:

Targeted FSM

A pupil qualifies for targeted FSM if their household receives:

• Universal Credit, and has an annual net income of £7,400 or less
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

A pupil may also be entitled to targeted FSM if their household:

• Receives income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Receives the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Has no recourse to public funds (NRPF) Free school meals

Expanded FSM (NEW)

This is a new category covering pupils who do not qualify for targeted FSM, but who are in households receiving Universal Credit.

Important Note About Universal Infant Free School Meals

The new eligibility criteria does not affect all pupils in reception, year 1 and year 2 in state-funded schools. They will continue to be entitled to universal infant free school meals (UIFSM). However, if you are eligible for a benefit – based FSM, you should still apply as it attracts additional funding for your school. 

free school meal application form.

Please download the form and apply if you think, your child may be entitled to Free School Meals, even if they usually have a Packed Lunch.

From September, the price of a school meal will increase to £3.35 per meal or £16.75 per week.  You can choose to book your child on for a full week or just on the days that he/she wants to stay for a school meal.  It is, however, essential that you pre- book your child on for a meal, whether you pay for them or not.  Our kitchen cooks to order and if you have not booked your child on for a dinner, there may not be enough food to provide your child with a meal.  in this instance, you will be contacted tbring a packed lunch in for your child.

Edsential are our school meals provider. 

Why choose an Edsential school meal?

• Well balanced meals that not only meet the school food standards but go above and beyond. With locally sourced meat, MSc Standard Fish, Sustainable Palm Oil, you can rest assured Edsential carefully source every bite to bring our young people the most sustainable, seasonal, healthy and super tasty food! Find out more
• All menus run on a 3-week cycle, keeping the menu fresh and exciting!
• Edsential know every school meal should be as unique as the school that enjoys them which is why our menu will be completely bespoke for our children and young people. We are excited to empower children to be ambassadors for our menus
• Fun theme days throughout the year – whether it is a Christmas lunch with all the trimmings, tasting cuisines from around the world or celebrating days such as World Book Day or a leavers lunch, supporting good food behaviour that leads to happier, healthier children.
• No packed lunch to prepare and excellent value for money
• Edsential take allergens seriously and know that all children and young people should have access to a healthy nutritious meal, regardless of their dietary requirements. Speak to the school office who will be able to support you…

Packed Lunches

 Please see below for a reminder of our packed lunch policy and ideas for packed lunches.

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

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 not available in schools. Please support your school by not including these items in a packed lunch.

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 should not contain the following:

Fizzy / sugary drinks,Bottles or cans,Chocolate-coated products / sweets / confectionery,Sugared / toffee and salted popcorn

Children can bring a treat on Friday’s ie one of the following e.g. packet of crisps, small cake or  biscuit

Our hot meal menu also follows the same policy with deserts being altered to include eg a piece of fruit, raisins, fruit cocktail yogurt, rice pudding and on Fridays sponge pudding or small cake or brownie.

Alternative suggestions to cakes and crisps that could be  included  in a packed lunch – pretzels, bread sticks , plain popcorn, Soreen , yogurt,  rice pudding , fruit scone.

Several pupils in school have allergies to nuts please, please ensure that any type of nut and peanut butter is not included in a lunch box. Your child may sit next to a child allergic to nuts and this contact could trigger an anaphylactic shock.