Food in School

A healthy eating policy to help our children to thrive.

We use Arbor for parents to select and pay for school meals. Meals need to be selected for each day via the Arbor APP. If you need details of setting up an account, please contact the school office. 

Help us reduce single use plastic in children's packed lunches. 

Please note we are a nut free school.

School food and snacks


Common sense and science tell us that children eating a healthy diet learn better and thrive. Our healthy eating policy supports learning, achievement and the National Obesity Strategy.

The Universal Free School Meals programme has increased the number of children entitled to a free school meal and we recommend that families take advantage of a home cooked free lunch for children in Reception through to year 2.

Free School Meals are currently provided for all children in Reception to the end of year 2. 

However, if you are entitled to free school meals because of low income it is really important that you still apply online. Then we will receive additional Pupil Premium funding for your child and you will be entitled to a one-off uniform grant as well as other benefits (financial support for clubs and contributions for trips and residential visits). 

We hope that all families, those choosing a packed lunch and those having a school dinner will support our healthy eating policy.

Edsential provide our school food and you can visit their website to find out more.  School dinners will increase to £2.95 per day from 1st April 2024 and are paid for through the Arbor app.

(Almost) Everything in Moderation

EVERY DAY - water in water bottles, fresh fruit or vegetables.

FRIDAYS  ONLY - crisps, biscuits, cakes.

NEVER - sweets, gum or fizzy drinks.

Breakfast

With a healthy breakfast at school or at home, children should not need to eat filling snacks before lunch. Coming to a healthy lunch feeling hungry is a good eating habit to get into, reducing obesity as well as food waste.

Good Manners

We encourage and teach children to use a knife and fork, and the overwhelming majority of children arrive in school able to do this. Being able to cut up your own food increases independence and enjoyment of lunch. Putting your knife and fork together to signal they have finished eating is a good skill to learn for every time you eat in a cafe, restaurant or when good manners count. Eating with your mouth closed is more pleasant for those eating with you and eating over your plate reduces the mess on the floor. Good manners help yourself and other people and are an important part of learning to be pro social and independent.

Most children eat in the hall. We expect good manners for eating in a cafe system. Children are expected to eat with their mouth closed, use a knife and fork and clear their plates before returning to their table to wipe it down with a cloth and brush up any food on the floor.

Kingsmead Primary.pdf
1916 Edsential A3 ALLERGEN POSTER.pdf

We are a Nut-Free School

If your child has been diagnosed with a food allergy or intolerance we can make reasonable adjustments if informed and advised by a suitably qualified health professional. Safeguarding procedures do not permit us to take the word of any person who is not a qualified health professional working in a professional capacity with the child. 

Some children in our school have severe nut allergies so no nuts or products containing nuts please. Some products are labelled 'may contain nuts.' These labels are precautionary and are permitted.

Palm Oil Journey.pdf

Birthday Treats

While we wish children a happy birthday, we don't distribute bags of sweets or cake to classes.