School Meals and Milk
Both myself and Michelle came away from our visit last week wishing every primary school lunch service was like the one we witnessed at Magna Carta. The quality of food, the communication with the pupils and the overall dining room environment is so positive, well done you. Jill Taylor, LBA Safety
Welcome to our Magna Carta Kitchen and Dining Hall lovingly called “Castle View Canteen”
Our kitchen is managed by Ms Emma Bradley along with her catering assistant Siobhan Saunders. Together they prepare a delicious, fresh lunch option every day.
Our catering team pride themselves on knowing our pupils including both their likes and dislikes.
Daily fresh fruit and salad are prepared for the children to choose from and enjoy.
Staff try to make the lunchtime atmosphere as relaxed as possible for everyone to be able to eat the food they like and enjoy a meal together.
Lunchtime is one of the key parts of our school day. We encourage all our pupils to choose school meals as we can cater for some allergies and intolereances. Pupils in Reception to Year 2 all receive a free school meal. We offer a vegetarian and meat option each day along with jacket potato and/or a baguette option. All pupils sit down together and eat together. If packed lunches are brought in, we ask that they comply with the healthy guidelines for packed lunches.
We also encourage our staff to spend time with the children to model good conversations, good behaviours and good habits during this lunch hour.
Menu
Our menu has been designed using a wide variety of meal options that our parents and students have had an input in and provides a real choice.
Our kitchen staff prepare meals to a high standard using local suppliers for meat, fruit and vegetables, so our ingredients are as fresh as possible.
Once a week, on a Friday usually, we make a sweet treat for dessert.
This is normally a cake or biscuit but can include jelly and even ice cream in the warmer weather.
Our menu can be viewed at the bottom of this page.
Paying for Meals
ParentPay offers you the freedom to make payments whenever and wherever you like, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - safe in the knowledge that the technology used is of the highest internet security available. You will have a secure online account, activated using a unique username and password.
Paypoint payments are recorded by ParentPay and can be seen by logging into your Parentpay account and viewing your payment history online.
You are able to pre-order your child/rens lunches on a weekly basis. We hope you enjoy going through the menu and picking lunches out together and this way you know what they are eating everyday and can plan you home meals in advance too.
Lunch booking closes on a Wednesday for the following week but you can always order a few weeks in advance or termly if you prefer.
Free School Meals
Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- 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)
- Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
Children who get any of the above benefits in their own right (ie they get benefits payments directly, instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get free school meals.
To apply for free school meals Please visit https://www.essex.gov.uk/free-school-meals
Universal Infant Free School Meals
All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to receive a free school meal, regardless of income, in line with the Government’s Universal Infant Free School Meals initiative. There is no need to make an application to the Local Authority for parents of these children.
Therefore you should only apply for free school meals in the July of the year that your child is entering Year 3, or if your child is Year 4 or older if you believe you meet the low income eligibility criteria.
Milk
Milk is offered during the morning session to all pupils under five years old, and pupils entitled to free school meals, free of charge. Parents of all other pupils are offered to opportunity to purchase milk for their child through our milk provider, Cool Milk. Further information can be found here.
Packed Lunch
If your child has medical needs which mean they need to have a drink other than water, please contact Mrs Avey via the school office to write a Health Care Plan.