To complain to the school?

[AccidentallyOnPurpose]

Two weeks ago DD came out of school asking me why I ordered her a jacket potato instead of roast dinner for Wednesday. I told her I didn't and she said she was given a jacket potato and when she said that's not right the dinner lady said " well, tell your mum to order you the right thing then". I can check on the app and showed her she was down for roast. The comment bothered me ,as I did make sure to order the right thing but just assumed some kind of mistake or miscommunication, shrugged my shoulders and let it go. DD won't eat the jacket potato,but one missed lunch won't kill her.

She came home today and the dinner lady attempted to swap her lunch for a jacket potato again . "DD you're fish , x you're jacket potato " but then she put the jacket potato in front of DD and gave the fish to x. DD pointed out that she should be fish fingers and the dinner lady said so too, so the dinner lady said x doesn't like the jacket potato so they're swapping meals.

DD is normally very quiet and polite but this time she stood up to herself and said she doesn't like jacket either and can she have her fish? In the end she did get the right meal, but it did bother me that she was just expected to swap or that she has to insist (which goes against her nature) to get the lunch I ordered and paid for.

Should I mention it to the teacher /send an email so they can figure out what is going on and make sure it doesn't happen again?

Yes, write a quick email just saying there must be some confusion somewhere and ask them to check with whoever is in charge of lunches.

If it's the same dinner lady it might be worth just politely querying with the teacher whether there is a new member of the lunch staff or whether there are any issues with the particular dinner lady since there has been an issue twice in quick succession. Occasionally there is a rogue appointment and/or someone that doesn't 'get' children and how these things may make them anxious.

@marly11

If it's the same dinner lady it might be worth just politely querying with the teacher whether there is a new member of the lunch staff or whether there are any issues with the particular dinner lady since there has been an issue twice in quick succession. Occasionally there is a rogue appointment and/or someone that doesn't 'get' children and how these things may make them anxious.

It has been the same dinner lady since start of term. DD is not a fan at the moment for obvious reasons.

I would let them know, you're paying for her food and she is entitled to eat what is ordered. Maybe a little staff training and senior meal supervision is needed. The member if staff can put her side of the story too.

I would send an email saying that there appears to be some confusion and could they look into it, you are perfectly within your right to receive the items you are paying for.

Our schools are providing hot meals at the moment.

Yes do let the school know. Probably happening to other kids as well. If I had paid for a roast in my work canteen and they kept giving me jacket potatoes because sandra in IT doesn't want jacket potatoes so they swapped our food, I'd be annoyed.

Are they, @scrivette? Must be a logistical nightmare. Unless you only have a small number of key worker children.

Ours is providing hot school dinner for yR to y2.

The only hot meal local schools are providing are jacket potatoes at the moment

Our schools is providing hot meals for free for all the children who are in at the moment.

OP if I was ordering and paying for it I would definitely send a quick email as there must be a miscommunication somewhere

Our canteen is closed to students, but FSM students are provided with a sandwich and a piece of fruit, brought up in a paper bag.
A roast sounds great. Even a jacket potato!
I digress.

@Maireas

What school canteen is providing hot meals at the moment?

Her school (obviously). So does the school I work at . Different schools have different policies and facilities. It happens.

Yes this isn't on. It's not up to the dinner lady to decide what your child eats. The other children's parents should order the right thing! As your daughter's usually quiet and obliging they probably think she is least likely to complain. I think it's perfectly reasonable to ask that this doesn't happen again.

Who the F does that dinner lady think she is? I wouldn't be happy with her approach or the words/phrases she is using to your or any other child.

I would complain and include everything you've said. She sounds like she shouldn't be working with children.

Ours is also providing hot meals

@Besiegedbykillersquirrels

Yes this isn't on. It's not up to the dinner lady to decide what your child eats. The other children's parents should order the right thing! As your daughter's usually quiet and obliging they probably think she is least likely to complain. I think it's perfectly reasonable to ask that this doesn't happen again.

To be fair this is my suspicion and the thing that bothers me the most . I told her how proud I was for standing her ground today, it's something we're working on.

She's the type of kid that was being hurt by a classmate when sitting on the carpet but didn't say anything because it was during "quiet time".

This really is a non issue. Send a quick email saying your dd's meal order is being mixed up and could someone check that she gets what is ordered. There is really no need for such a saga.

@Maireas

What school canteen is providing hot meals at the moment?

Our school is.

Absolutely complain! Especially if it’s an outsourced company. The school will be glad you’ve flagged it up.

@AccidentallyOnPurpose
If you'd read my other posts, you would note that I had been so informed by previous posters and noted this.
As you were.

@RosieLemonade - maybe just our city where they aren't. Seems to be a lot that do, which is a pleasant surprise.

Yes I would complain. That is not on. Say that you have ordered the right meal on both occasions and you don't expect the dinner staff to swap it.

The school I work at is serving hot meals too.

I'd send a quick email, if only because it has wider implications. If she's swapping meals on her own say so, that could end very badly for a child.