School Meals

Our Primary School menus are carefully developed to appeal to children and provide the perfect balance of essential nutrients – and to offer them the chance to try a few dishes they may not have tried before.
Your child can choose from two main meal options provided every day, each one accompanied by a vegetable choice, and including a daily vegetarian dish. Jacket potatoes with an assortment of popular and tasty fillings are always available, too, served with an attractive side salad.

Additional salad and wholemeal bread is also on offer each day along with a dessert of the day, a selection of yoghurts, cheese and crackers and fresh fruit. A range of cold drinks are also available.

Free School Meals
Every child in reception, year 1 and year 2 classes is now entitled to a free school meal under the government’s universal infant free school meal scheme. This is not means-tested.

Your children may also qualify for means-tested free school meals if you meet the following criteria:

• You or your partner receive child benefit (for the child you are applying for), and
• The child is in full time education, under 19 years of age, and
• The child attends a local authority school or sixth form.

You and your partner must be in receipt of one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance (JSA – IB)
• Guarantee Pension Credit
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA Income Related)
• Child Tax Credit – but not Working Tax Credit – and your income for Tax Credit purposes must be less than £16,190.00 (details are shown on your Tax Credit award notice)
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Universal Credit.

If you qualify for Free School Meals, it is important for your child’s school that you apply – even if your children are in year 1 or year 2. For every valid application, your child’s school can claim extra funding for resources such as extra tuition, teaching assistants or after-school clubs.

Children who receive a free school meal are not singled out in any way.

If you think your child may be eligible for Free School Meals you can find out more and fill out and online application form here: Free school meals - Gateshead Council

When the children return in September, they will be asked to choose a 'colour' when making their lunch choice, as shown on the Gateshead School Menu 2023-2024:

 

Red = 1st Choice (Main Meal)

Green = 2nd Choice (Vegetarian)

Blue = Jacket Potato

 

Please familiarise your child with their options for the day, before they come into school - the menu is a PDF, so can be downloaded and saved for your information.

 

 

Packed Lunches
You are welcome to send your child in with a packed lunch – we don’t need any notice, your child can just let us know during registration. We encourage parents to ensure that packed lunches meet the same nutritional standards as our school meals; providing a healthy, balanced lunch which will give your child the nutrients and energy they need to keep them growing and learning successfully. Please see our policy for additional guidance.