There is no payment required for pupils who attend as boarders. However, pupils who attend as extended day, or day pupils do need to pay for school lunch as in mainstream settings. Parents of all pupils who think that they may qualify for free school meals should complete the relevant form (below in 'frequently asked questions') and register. Parents of pupils who do not qualify for free meals will be required to pay for lunch at the current rate of £2.70 per day.
Our school meals follow a healthy eating policy and are produced freshly every day in a school kitchen where possible:
- Fresh meat and poultry.
- Fruit and vegetables sourced regionally where possible using local suppliers.
- Menus that are nutritionally balanced.
Please click here to view the menu for week commencing 27th March 2023.
Please note, this is subject to change depending on availability of supply.
Frequently asked questions
Catering staff in schools have all received the relevant hygiene training.
Throughout their employment they receive additional training including:
- NVQs in catering skills and professional cookery;
- nutrition and healthy eating;
- health and safety; and
- customer care
All our catering is monitored to ensure meals are safe, of high quality and value for money. Monitoring officers visit each school unannounced at least twice a year to carry out a kitchen audit. In addition, district council environmental health officers regularly inspect our school kitchens.
Free School Meals
Free school meals are available to all key stage one pupils and to children whose parents receive certain benefits.
From 1 April 2018 the Government introduced new regulations for people claiming free schools meals who receive Universal Credit. The change means that if your net annual earnings are more than £7,400 you will not be eligible to claim free school meals.
Pupils who received free school meals before 1 April 2018 and pupils who are assessed as eligible after 1 April 2018 will continue to receive free school meals until the end of the universal roll out period, which is expected to be March 2022. This applies even if they no longer meet the eligibility criteria at a subsequent point during the roll out period.
At the end of the Universal Credit roll out period, any existing pupil who no longer meets the eligibility criteria will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education, i.e. primary or secondary school.
Frequently asked questions
To qualify for free school meals you must fulfil one of the following criteria:
- Universal Credit, provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods (£616.67 per month);
- Income Support;
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance;
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance;
- Support under part six of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;
- The guarantee element of Pension Credit;
- Child Tax Credit, provided you are also not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual household gross income that does not exceed £16,190 (as assessed by HMRC); or
- Working Tax Credit run-on, paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.
Please note that contributions-based benefits, including contribution-related Jobseekers' Allowance do not entitle you to claim free school meals.
If you meet the criteria, apply by using the application form (pdf / 263 KB) and return to The Welfare Team, CYPS, Jesmond House, 31/33 Victoria Avenue, Harrogate, HG1 5QE. Tel: 01609 533405. Email: schoolwelfare@northyorks.gov.uk
Applications are usually processed within five working days. You will be notified in writing, either by post or email, if your child is entitled and we will also let the school know. You should continue to pay until confirmation comes through. Schools may be able to arrange reimbursement of payment made while your entitlement is being confirmed.
Free school meals claims cannot be backdated. They are awarded from the date we receive the application, once eligibility is confirmed. This is because there is a legal requirement for a request to be made, before a free school meal can be provided.
If you are not entitled to free school meals, you will be notified in writing.
With effect from April 2013 the council is no longer allowed to retain funding to help smooth the cost of meals provision across schools.
One of the impacts of this change is that we can no longer set a standard price for the cost of a school meal in North Yorkshire schools. It is for each school to decide how much to charge parents for a school meal and therefore the value of a free school meal may vary from school to school.