School Meals & Lunchtimes

School Meals

Dinner money is £11.50 per week and should be paid every Monday.
You can log onto Parentmail to make payments. You will be set up on the system once your child is admitted into school.
If your child wishes to change their meal pattern from packed lunch to school meal you must send a letter into the school office, or email the school office at admin@sacredheart-jun.manchester.sch.uk requesting a school meal and give a minimum of one weeks notice. The same rules apply when changing from school meals to packed lunches.
Universal Infant Free School Meals

The government has decided that from September 2014, all pupils in Reception, year 1 and year 2 will be eligible for a free school meal at lunchtime. This offer does not depend on your household income or whether you receive any benefits –every child in these classes is eligible to take up the offer.

In a trial, it was found that pupils who ate a high quality school lunch achieved better academically than those who did not. They were also more likely to eat healthier foods such as vegetables at lunchtime instead of less healthy foods such as crisps. Parents in the trial appreciated saving the cost of school lunches (currently £2.30 per child per day) and not having to spend time preparing packed lunches.

Free School Meals

Who Can Claim?

You can claim free school meals for a child who lives with you and who you are responsible for (for example, you receive Child Benefit for them). Your child must be at school, not at a day nursery or children’s centre. You must also be in receipt of one of the following:

  • Which children qualify for them?

    Your child may qualify if you have any of these incomes:

    •  Income Support
    •  income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
    •  income-related Employment and Support Allowance
    •  the guaranteed part of Pension Credit
    •  Child Tax Credit (as long as your annual gross income is £16,190 or less and  you don’t get Working Tax Credit)
    •  Working Tax Credit run-off after you come off Working Tax Credit
    •  Universal Credit that you applied for on, or after, 1 April 2018. As long as your household income is less than £7,400 a year after tax, not including any benefits

    Children who receive these benefits themselves instead of through a parent or guardian, can also qualify for free school meals.

    Your child may qualify if you are an asylum seeker.

    Children who are younger than the compulsory age for starting school but in full-time education, can also get free school meals.

    How long can they get free school meals for?

    Children who are eligible for free school meals now will be eligible for them until either:

    • they finish school; or
    • if on 31 March 2022 they are still in school, until they finish the phase of schooling they are in (primary or secondary) –

    whichever is sooner.

If you would like any more information regarding claiming free school meals please call into the school office where we will be happy to help.

You can make a claim for free school meals by clicking on the link below:

https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/sims

Lunchtimes at Sacred Heart

Over the lunch break children are constantly monitored and supported.

To help the very young children adapt to the playground environment, Year 3 children pair up with the reception children to become personal BUDDIES. The BUDDIES help to keep the children safe and happy and also help to establish the playground rules.