School Meals
All children in YR to Y2 are entitled to a school-paid dinner under the Government's Universal Infant Free School Meals Scheme (UIFSM).
All Key Stage 2 children are also currently eligible for a school-paid dinner, thanks to St John's Foundation who have kindly agreed to cover the cost from January 2023 to July 2025 (usual cost is £2.70 per meal). All our school meals are cooked on site by Mrs Toogood and the catering team from Aspens. There is a main, vegetarian and a baked potato or pasta choice each day. Aspens now offer a vegan option and are able to meet any dietary requirements (health or cultural). The current Aspens menu is attached below.
How to order Meals
Meals need to be ordered via the Aspens website at https://select.aspens-services.com
Each pupil has their own unique code, which parents are given via the office. Once you are registered, you can log on to Aspens and order for the day or the term in advance.
Meals need to be ordered by 8.00 am each day and cancelled by 8.00 am if your child is absent and doesn't require a meal. If booked school meals are not cancelled by 8am, either parents or the the school still has to pay Aspens. Cancelling meals also saves on food waste.
If a parent has not booked a school meal there are 3 solutions:
- a parent brings a packed lunch into school before 12 noon at the latest or
- the child can wait until ordered meals have been served (1.20pm) - at which time they will be offered any remaining meal (£2.45 if meals are paid for) or
- the child will be provided with a ham or cheese sandwich, a snack item (cake or yogurt) and a piece of fruit (£2.45 if meals are paid for).
FREE SCHOOL MEALS (SCHOOL-PAID MEALS)
We have re-named free-school meals as school-paid meals from September 2021.
Universal Infant Free School Meals / Universal School-Paid Meals
Children in Years R, 1 and 2 are eligible to receive a school-paid meals. However, if you think your child(ren) would also be Eligible by Benefit (see below), we would urge you to apply for them as this means you can access some discounts
Eligible by Benefit Free School Meals / Eligible by Benefit School-Paid Meals
If you are in receipt of certain benefits then your child(ren) may be entitled to school-paid meals eligible by benefit. This applies to children in every year group from our Puddleducks Pre-School (providing children are staying for a both a morning and afternoon session on one day) up to Year 6.
For children in YR to Y6 entitled to school-paid meals Eligible by Benefit, then we offer 50% discount on educational visits, swimming lessons and a one-off uniform voucher. In addition, BANES offer support during the holidays through a supermarket food voucher scheme and access to 'free' holiday and activity clubs (these are often held at Castle Primary).
Please ask any member of the Office team for more information. Application Forms are attached under the Form tab. FSM EBB children still need to have their meals ordered via the Aspens website above. You can also check your eligibility and apply for free school meals directly using this link https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals
