School Meals
School meals are prepared on the premises and are provided by ABM Catering in the school dining hall. These are free to Reception and Key Stage 1 pupils (universal free school meals) and those in receipt of benefit-related free school meals.
The charge for a paid meal is currently £2.50 per day. School meals are booked and chosen through the 'My Child at School' app. All meals need to be booked using this system. For children entitled to free school meals, choices will be booked but not charged and the system will confirm that no payment is to be made. Those who are required to pay need to do so within 2 hours of booking, otherwise the system will cancel the booking. Bookings for the following week must be done by the Thursday of the previous week.
If your child has any dietary needs or allergies, you must complete the dietary needs form here https://airtable.com/appVNMscyybLE9fIE/shri8ob4AXAY0fkfY this is sent directly to ABM Catering who will then put together an individual menu for your child.
If parents prefer, children may bring a packed lunch. Lunch boxes should be secure and clearly marked with the child's name. In line with our healthy school meals, packed lunches should follow healthy eating guidelines. Drinking water is always available. We ask that all pupils bring a named water bottle into school every day.
Free School Meals Information.
Free School Meals - Benefits of receiving and eligibility criteria
Free School Meals - End of year
Too many children in Coventry are living in food poverty, yet hundreds of children are still not receiving their entitlement to a Free School Meal. One in four children in Coventry is eligible for a Free School Meal. More are taking up their entitlement but there are so many more who could be benefiting.
The benefits of Free School Meals include:
- You could save more than £450 a year per child
- You save time making packed lunches
- Your child gets a healthy tasty, cooked meal
- Children achieve more when they’ve had a cooked lunch
- School gets extra funding to help children in their education (pupil premium- up to
£1480 a year per child)
Free School Meals eligibility
Types of eligibility:
- Universal Free School Meals - Reception, Year 1 & 2
- Free School Meals – Year 3 +
- Free School Meals – No recourse to public funds
Universal Free School Meals - Reception, Year 1 & 2
The government provides funding to government-funded schools to offer free school meals to pupils in reception, year 1, and year 2 (roughly aged 4-7 years)
You can apply as soon as your child's school place in Reception has been confirmed.
Free School Meals – Year 3 +
Your child will be able to get Free School Meals if you receive any of the following:
- Universal Credit (you are eligible after you have received your first payment) Your household earnings must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get))
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
Any child who becomes eligible for Free School Meals between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2025 will remain entitled to a Free School Meal regardless of any change in parental income until they finish the phase of education they are in (primary or secondary) as of 31 March 2025.
Free School Meals – No recourse to public funds
Your child will be able to get Free School Meals if you fall into one of the following eligible groups
- Zambrano carers
- families who have no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
- families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
- a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Chen carers
- families holding a BN(O) passport
- spousal visa holders
- work visa holders
- student visa holders
- those with no immigration status
You will also need to evidence that your annual household income is below
- £22,700 for families with 1 child
- £26,300 for families with 2 or more children
In addition to these thresholds, families must hold no more than £16,000 in capital and savings.
Free School Meals
Telephone line is open 11am to 1pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)
Address: Customer Service Centre
3 Upper Precinct
Broadgate
Coventry
CV1 1FS
Telephone: 024 7683 3773
Email: freeschoolmeals@coventry.gov.uk
Coventry Holiday Activities and Food Programme
If you qualify for free school meals for your child, you are also able to take advantage of free activities during the main school holidays with the Holiday Activities and Food Programme
Claim Free School Meals