School Meals

Meals at Hotham

We are very lucky to have dedicated kitchen staff who freshly prepare delicious meals daily from our school kitchen.  The children enjoy a variety of healthy meals including a vegetarian option, salads and fruit each day.

Current Menu

Payment

Currently all pupils in Reception to Year 6 receive a free daily meal, thanks to the scheme run by the Mayor of London. Parents do not have to pay for the meals and it is an ideal opportunity to take advantage of a tasty hot meal at school.

For parents of children in nursery, please make sure you pay for your child's meals in advance.  We encourage parents and carers to pay per half term or termly.  The cost for a school meal is £3.00 per day. If you find it easier to pay per week, please do so. Please choose either packed lunches or school meals for the entire half term. We are not able to serve a school meal to children whose school meal accounts are in debt, so you will be asked to provide a packed lunch from home.

Payments can be made online using Schoolcomms.  To use our online payment system, please register your email address with the school office. The school office is unable to accept cash or cheques.

Free School Meals and Pupil Premium

If any parents think their children may be entitled to free school meals please contact the school office for further details. Even if your child is in our Reception class, Key Stage 1 and having a school meal free or your child is in Nursery or Key Stage 2 and does not wish to take school meals, if eligible, the information will gain welcome additional funding for the school known as 'Pupil Premium'.  

The London Grid for Learning (LGfL) have a website where parents can quickly and easily check eligibity for free school meals. Please see Free School Meals and Pupil Premium letter for further information.

Packed Lunches

If you prefer your child may have a packed lunch. We ask that you ensure packed lunches are healthy and well-balanced as we do encourage healthy eating at school.  The school is a nut free school, therefore we ask you to check carefully and avoid nut products, sweets, chocolates and fizzy drinks.  Please ensure drinks are in a non-breakable container.

We are happy for you to change your child’s lunch choices at the beginning of each half term.  Please let the school office know in advance.

Children with Food Allergies

If your child has food allergies, you should contact our catering company directly, so they can make our kitchen aware of the allergy and offer you advice on which of our menu items are suitable/unsuitable for your child.    They will require supporting documentation from the child’s GP, dietician or paediatrician.  It can take up to 3 weeks for Harrison Catering to process this request, so you may need to provide a packed lunch until you receive confirmation from them.  You should contact them by 21st July if your child is starting at Hotham in September.

Harrison Catering - Food allergies and Intolerances

Fruit for Schools Initiative

All children in the Early Years and Key Stage 1 receive a free piece of fruit or vegetable for snack at  playtime as part of the Government’s scheme to promote healthy eating. Please let us know if your child has any allergies to any particular types of fruit.

Unfortunately children in Key Stage 2 do not receive free fruit or vegetables, so they may wish to bring a snack to school each day.  Please send fruit, peeled vegetables or dried fruit.  Please do not send biscuits, chocolate, sweets, crisps, nuts etc.