At Four Oaks Primary School, we take immense pride in our school meals, where a diverse array of delicious and nutritious meals are prepared daily and cooked fresh in our own kitchens by our wonderful cook and her team who are passionate about providing your child with tasty, well-balanced options. All menus meet stringent UK government food standards and legislation.
We believe in empowering our children and they have opportunities to discuss menus and make suggestions particularly about special theme-day menus. The cook also asks children to carry out ‘taste testing’ and give her feedback before she adds a new line to the menu. An example was when Year 6 were asked to test different panini fillings – their feedback was unanimous: they wanted all the options adding to the menu! This collaborative approach ensures we deliver exciting, freshly made, and modern dishes that truly reflect the diverse needs and preferences of our children.
Our daily menus always include a hot meat or vegetarian option, jacket potato option and a deli bar with pasta, sandwiches, wraps and salads. The children choose their lunch each morning and we operate a waitress service each lunchtime. A drink of water or milk is freely available for all children regardless of whether they are having a school lunch or a packed lunch.
CATERING FOR EVERY NEED
Halal & Non-Halal Options: We are proud to offer a Halal menu alongside our non-Halal options. We observe strict separation during storage, preparation and service to ensure complete integrity between all Halal and non-Halal food to meet the needs of all our families.
Dietary Requirements & Allergens: Our skilled catering team are committed to adapting meals for specific dietary needs and allergies. They carefully review all dietary and allergen information provided by parents to ensure dishes meet each child's individual requirements. It is essential that this information is accurate and kept as up-to-date as possible. If you have any concerns or need to update your child's dietary details, please contact the school office without delay.
Discover Our Menus & Special Days!
You can find our weekly menus on our website. Keep an eye out for our exciting one-off special themed days, which bring extra fun to lunchtime – past examples include our popular Chinese New Year and Spanish themed menus!
As an added benefit, a free fruit or vegetable snacks is available to Reception and KS1 children each day.
PAYING FOR SCHOOL MEALS
Simple and convenient
Universal Free School Meals (Reception, Year 1 & Year 2):
All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to FREE school meals daily. This is funded by the Government's Universal Free School Meals scheme, ensuring our youngest learners receive a nutritious meal without any cost to you.
Years 3-6 School Meals:
For children in Years 3 to 6, school meals are currently charged at £1.80 per day (£9 per week). All payments are payable at the school office.
Free School Meals (Years 3-6 Eligibility):
Your child may be eligible for Free School Meals, even if they are in Years 3-6, based on specific criteria. If you believe you might be eligible, please contact the school office for details on how to apply. Applying for Free School
You simply need to register your child – no payment is required. You can easily register with the Local Council.
- Universal Credit - your household earned annual income must be less than £7,400 after tax and not including any benefits
- Income Support
- Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income related Employment Support Allowance
- Support under part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed part of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit – with no Working Tax Credit and your annual household income is no more than £16,190, as assessed by the Inland Revenue
Applying for free meals can also provide additional benefits to the school and your child through a fund called Pupil Premium, so we encourage all eligible families to apply. Often there are personal benefits for the families that apply for Pupil Premium such as free supermarket vouchers that are issued at key points throughout the year to all Pupil Premium eligible families. Once you have successfully applied for Pupil Premium it is valid for 6 years even if your circumstances change.
You can verify your eligibility and register for Free School Meals and Pupil Premium here. Please ask at the school office if you would like advice and support with the application.