School Meals

We are pleased to be able to offer the full lunch menu to our pupils.

Please go through the menu carefully with your child, children are allowed to opt in/out of school dinners on a daily basis. If your child does not want a school provided dinner then they can bring in a healthy home packed lunch on those days. 

A school meal costs £3.60 per day

Since September 2014 school meals are free for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.

Applying for Free School Meals in Hertfordshire

Your child can get a free school meal if you receive any of the following:

• Universal Credit
• the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Pupils eligible under the no recourse to public funds criteria can also get a free school meal.

Schools receive additional funding and the pupil may be entitled to other benefits.

If you receive Universal Credit but your household income is more than £7,400, your child can get a free school meal only.

Apply today if you receive any of these benefits. It takes 5 mins and, in most cases, we can tell you straightaway if your child can get free meals at school.

For more information or assistance with your application

Visit www.hertsdirect.org/freeschoolmeals

Or

Call their customer service centre on 0300 123 4048 (8am-8pm Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm Saturday).

Important national changes to the Free School Meals (FSM) system introduced by the Department for Education, which will take effect from the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

The Department for Education has expanded eligibility so that all households in receipt of Universal Credit may now qualify for Free School Meals. As part of these changes, two FSM categories have been introduced.

The Two New FSM Categories are:

Targeted Free School Meals
For families receiving Universal Credit with net annual earnings of £7,400 or less. Children in this category will:

• Receive a free school meal each day
• Enable the school to receive Pupil Premium funding, which helps provide additional educational support and resources

Expanded Free School Meals
For families receiving Universal Credit with net annual earnings above £7,400. Previously these families would not have qualified for Free School Meals. Under the new arrangements children in this category will:

Receive a free school meal each day

Not attract Pupil Premium for the school

What Do I Need to Do?

If your child already receives Free School Meals

You do not need to take any action. Hertfordshire County Council is working with schools to carry out automatic eligibility checks. Please note that the Government's previous transitional protections have now ended, meaning annual rechecks will be undertaken to ensure households continue to meet the qualifying criteria.

If you believe you are newly eligible - You must submit an online application.

How to Apply

Please complete your application through the official Hertfordshire County Council Free School Meals portal: Apply for Free School Meals

What You Will Need

Please have one of the following available:

• Your National Insurance number; or
• Your Home Office or NASS number.

The online eligibility check takes approximately five minutes to complete.

If you are unable to access the internet, applications can also be made by contacting Hertfordshire's Customer Service Centre on 0300 123 4048 or by emailing freeschoolmeals@hertfordshire.gov.uk.

Important - Until the school receives confirmation from Hertfordshire County Council that your child is entitled to Free School Meals, you must continue to pay for school lunches through the Arbor app.

All meal must be booked via the Arbor App

Cancelling of school dinners

Please ensure that you cancel any school meals booked by 9.30am if your child is going to be absent from school for any reason that day.   With the cost of living crisis and food prices continuing to rise, HCL have advised us that they will now be charging £3.50 for all meals booked but not taken.

Repeat for all the days you want to cancel meals for. If you have any difficulties with this please see  Alison Jackson in the school office. Thank you.

Apply for special menu https://specialmenu.hcl.co.uk/