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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Christmas School meal

82 replies

Mcdreary · 05/12/2019 10:16

My children's school are doing a last day Xmas lunch and everyone has to pay for it. "No alternatives will be offered". Aibu to think that this is not acceptable, what about the kids who are receiving free school meals due to poverty or benefits? Isn't it the schools responsibility to feed these children?

OP posts:
APurpleSquirrel · 05/12/2019 10:37

DD is in Reception - it'll be paid for automatically through ParentPay by the school, same with FSM.

FizzyIce · 05/12/2019 10:37

@Emeraldshamrock what??! Holy shite

Mrsjayy · 05/12/2019 10:38

It is just a reminder FSM pupils will get their dinner.

Original poster
Mcdreary · 05/12/2019 10:38

We paid last year, believing we had to - similar letter.

I can't order online, the choices are there but I can't make selections. £0 to pay however.

OP posts:
BarkandCheese · 05/12/2019 10:40

I read it mean that if you want your child to have a school lunch it must be paid for by 11th, as in some children usually have packed lunches but might want to have the Christmas meal instead that day.

FSM will still apply to those who qualify.

No alternatives means there’s no other meal on offer that day other than the Christmas meal, not you must have it. Packed lunches would still be allowed.

The only issue Might be if there’s not a vegetarian Christmas lunch option available.

Original poster
Mcdreary · 05/12/2019 10:42

There is vegan option.

Ok thanks. I'm ASD and read things literally, so likely my mistake then. I'll speak to school and update.

OP posts:
LetsSplashMummy · 05/12/2019 10:43

Is it possible you don't really know how to use Parentpay? If you've clicked on "menu options" you can see choices and not book. You have to go to "meal bookings."

I'm sure that a quick visit to the school office will clear up the ambiguous wording and show you how to do it.

Scarydinosaurs · 05/12/2019 10:43

Mcdreary are your children entitled to free school meals? If so, it is free.

Original poster
Mcdreary · 05/12/2019 10:45

I know how to use parent pay, I have to make selections every term and have for years. It's greyed out with a red X above. The same X that is there on training days or when a meal isn't claimed.

OP posts:
TheOrigFV45 · 05/12/2019 10:45

It's still a couple of weeks until the end of term. Do you go to the school to drop or collect? Maybe you can clarify with the office staff then.

I think most schools do the same - only offer Xmas dinner (meat and veggie options, and hopefully cater for allergies).
Children can still take packed lunch.

I think the payment wording is to remind parents whose children usually take a packed lunch (and are in KS2) that they have to pay.
I had to read our letter twice because it did read like I needed to pay separately to normal lunches, but I don't think that's they case - he has £ in ParentPay which I top up and it will be taken from that.

ElluesPichulobu · 05/12/2019 10:49

I was ignoring these emails myself as DS (who has ASD and does not eat food that is on his very limited list of acceptable substances, certainly not a Christmas meal) will be having a packed lunch. The emails were getting increasingly frenetic though, and eventually one of them said "You need to do the thing on parent pay even if your child will have packed lunch - just write Packed Lunch in the selection box and you will be charged £0.00" - they hadn't specified that bit before.

BarkandCheese · 05/12/2019 10:50

It’s very badly worded, as so many messages from Primary schools are. They make the assumption that we all know exactly how they work so don’t bother to make the details clear.

It was a huge bugbear of mine during my DDs time at primary. Fortunately her secondary seem much better at communicating in general.

Purpleartichoke · 05/12/2019 10:50

It just means you have to pre-order if you want a lunch.

It’s like the last day of the year at our school. Accounts need to be settled up and on the last day instead of 4 meal choices there are only 2.

Purpleartichoke · 05/12/2019 10:54

Oh and this sort of thing drives me crazy with schools. They somehow don’t realize that parents don’t know the system so don’t bother to explain. For me the big one last year was a notice that a particular room was closed for the day due to an emergency. Parents were automatically expected to know that meant no parents could
Come to lunch (something our school encourages parents to do a couple of times a year).

Goldwispa · 05/12/2019 10:56

Normally at my kids school if you're free school meals you don't have to pay. Only Christmas dinner is available, if your child doesn't want a Christmas dinner they have to bring a packed lunch.

onemouseplace · 05/12/2019 11:00

Our school apparently ended up re-writing the Christmas Lunch letter 3 times and it was still worded confusingly as I had to double check whether I needed to return the slip or not for DC who has the early years free lunch.

SleepingStandingUp · 05/12/2019 11:01

We have turkey dinner, veg pie, or sandwiches but have to say school are great and DS will be having sausage!!

Def sounds like thry worded it badly op, just pop into reception / call up and clarify. Thankfully we're still in pieces of paper hand filled in!

MiniEggAddiction · 05/12/2019 11:03

I agree with PP, some kids might usually bring packed lunch but want to have the school Xmas dinner instead that day and will need to have it paid for in advance. Those who normally have school dinner will pay (or not pay if they're entitled to FSM) in the normal way.

LoisLittsLover · 05/12/2019 11:04

Our letter was simillarly poorly worded and meant that all dinners needed to be booked even if eligible for infant free meals or free school meals. But only paid for if a junior/non fsm child

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 05/12/2019 11:06

I think it’s badly worded too. At our school Universal FSM (Rec, Y1 &Y2) & FSM pupils in all the older years don’t have to pay. In previous years everyone has still had to tick what they’d like though. This year it’s just one set menu, along with a vegetarian option for all. So much easier.

ChristmasCroissant · 05/12/2019 11:08

It means there is only one option for lunch - the Christmas Dinner - and not two or three to choose from as usual. FSM will get it free. Anyone who doesn't want the Christmas offering will need to take a packed lunch or if you are on FSM and not keen on the Christmas lunch (which is entirely possible!) it would be worth asking the school if they could do anything else such as a sandwich - I know my DD's school used to do sandwiches as a packed lunch if FSM wanted them when they were out on a trip, for instance.

It's just to get the numbers for the school so they can sort out the lunch - if you get FSM you don't need to pay OP, don't worry about that bit! I agree that some letters can be confusing!

TreeSwayer · 05/12/2019 11:11

Every day in the school I volunteer in a lovely lady comes in and reads out 3 options for lunch, yesterday it was pizza, chicken pie or salmon fish cake. Children then make their choice including saying if they are having a packed lunch. That is the choice part of your letter.

Anyone on FSM doesn't pay for them (or milk). The Christmas dinner is a special day and lots of parents who usually provide a packed lunch for their child as it is cheaper than the school meal often pay for the Christmas dinner.

Rather a low number of children have a school dinner (although this may be different in KS1 where they get it for free anyway) so the increase in numbers wanting a Christmas dinner impacts the catering and therefore the choice to have it has to be made in advance.

There will only be a Christmas dinner that day (with veggie option instead of turkey) but still the roast potatoes, veg etc. Children can still bring a packed lunch. You would be surprised at the number of parents who pay very late for their child's school dinner generally anyway.

Notodontidae · 05/12/2019 11:13

Sometimes the most badly worded messages and lack of empathy come from those involved in education. "Strange" ?

DowntonCrabby · 05/12/2019 11:16

FSM kids will get it free. If your own child is FSM I’d email asking them to clarify for everyone if the wording suggests they might have to pay.

SayOohLaLa · 05/12/2019 11:19

OP, this just means they won't be offering jacket potato and beans in addition to the Xmas meal. Our school has a turkey or veggie Christmas meal and usually has a 3rd option but isn't on that day. You have one of the Xmas meal options or you take a packed lunch.