Cooked meals are prepared in our kitchen by a Hampshire catering company – Chartwells – which operates independently of St Alban’s School.

At morning registration, pupils are able to choose their lunch option from a menu containing at least two choices (this includes a vegetarian option each day). If a child arrives at school after 10.00am (for example, due to a medical appointment), parents will need to provide a packed lunch. Alternatively, parents may contact the school office before 9.30am to book their child’s lunch if they know their child will be arriving late.

Special Diets

If a child has a specific dietary requirement, parents will need to complete a ‘Medically Diet Request Form’ and provide supporting medical evidence to Chartwells. This needs to be done online here: https://www.chartwells.co.uk/medical-diets/

Free School Meals

All children in EYFS and KS1 (Year R to 2) are entitled to Universal Free School Meals under the Government scheme. More information about this scheme can be found here: https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/freeschoolmeals/infants

Payment

School lunches currently cost £2.75 per day. All KS1 (Year R, 1 and 2) children are entitled to a free meal under the government's Universal Free School Meal scheme. Some pupils may be eligible for income-related free school meals.

School dinners are paid on your child's Scopay account: https://www.scopay.com/login

We warmly encourage parents and carers to pay for school meals ahead of time (e.g., a week in advance) to avoid going into dinner debt on your account. If your child's dinner debt exceeds £10.00, our Finance Manager will contact you and ask for payment to be made. If your child's dinner debt is still unpaid after the reminder, you may be asked to provide your child with a packed lunch until the debt is cleared. Please contact Mrs A Richards (Finance Manager) if you require any assistance. 

Home Packed Lunches

If parents prefer, they may provide a packed lunch for their child. These must not contain fizzy drinks, sweets (including products such as ‘fruit winders’ or similar items) or any items containing nut products (due to the life-threatening nut allergy of some children in our school). Please also include a spoon for items such as yoghurt.  

In addition, we encourage all children to eat healthily and encourage parents to follow the following Government guidelines when preparing a packed lunch for their child:

• Include one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetable or salad every day.
• Meat, fish or another source of non-dairy protein should be included every day. Non-dairy sources of protein include lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, hummus and falafel.
• An oily fish, such as salmon, should be included at least once every three weeks.
• A starchy food, such as bread or pasta, rice, couscous, noodles, potatoes or other cereals, should be included every day.
• A dairy food, such as semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, cheese, yoghurt, fromage frais or custard should be included every day.
• Snacks such as crisps should not be included.  Instead, include vegetables and fruit (with no added salt, sugar or fat). Savoury crackers or breadsticks served with fruit, vegetables or dairy food are also a good choice. Meat products such as sausage rolls, individual pies, corned meat and sausages / chipolatas should be included only occasionally.
• Confectionery such as chocolate bars, chocolate-coated biscuits and sweets should not be included.  Cakes and biscuits are allowed but these should be part of a balanced meal.

Morning Break Snacks

Children may bring in a healthy snack from home to eat during the morning break (fresh fruit or vegetables only, not items such as ‘winders’ or similar products). These need to be brought into school in a named container and put in the snack box in the classroom when children arrive in the morning. As part of the Government’s fruit and vegetable scheme, children in Year R, 1 and 2 are offered a free piece of fruit or vegetable for their morning snack.  

Milk Scheme

In line with the Government School Food Plan we provide a milk scheme. School milk is free for all children under five and the cost to parents is subsidised for children aged five or older. Milk is also free for all children entitled to free school meals.  Parents who wish their child to have milk at school during morning break will need to register using the information provided in the information packs. Please ask the office for details.