Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Free School Meals; all or nothing

41 replies

paso · 26/09/2014 13:30

The school my children attend are offering free meals on an all or nothing basis ie they have to have school lunch every day or opt out and only bring packed lunch, they are no longer allowed to choose between the two, week to week. Other schools are being flexible and giving pupils a choice.
Does anyone know if I have the right to purchase a school meal for my child on the days my child would like it?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Galena · 26/09/2014 17:08

If this is their policy I think you'd be hard pressed to change it. They must have had a reason for changing?

mrz · 26/09/2014 17:10

It's a common policy.

concernedaboutheboy · 26/09/2014 17:12

You can take it up with the governors but no, they can decide to do it that way if they want.

Original poster

paso · 30/09/2014 23:40

Thanks for replies. Their decision is financially based. Its not a common policy in our cluster. Seems unrealistic that a child who started school this term is committed to having either a packed lunch or a school dinner for the next 3 years.

OP posts:

gemmalou123 · 01/10/2014 00:19

My dd's school allows a 'back up' lunchbox to be taken in for children that may require it, otherwise everybody eats school lunch. They get 3 choices, no packed lunch allowed.

FamiliesShareGerms · 01/10/2014 00:23

Surely it's a term by term (or half termly ) choice, not "make your choice in reception and stick with it for three years"?

Hersetta427 · 01/10/2014 08:50

Our are all or nothing but you can change your mind every half term.

ElephantsNeverForgive · 01/10/2014 08:57

No packed lunch allowed would = DD2 changing school

listsandbudgets · 01/10/2014 10:02

No packed lunches allowed at DD's school UNLESS child has very specific dietry needs or allergies the school do not feel they can safely cater to.

ElephantsNeverForgive · 01/10/2014 11:45

On the last menu DD2 had before going to senior school, I think it was worth paying for lunch on day a fortnight.

She would be taking packed lunch and the HT could get stuffed.

ElephantsNeverForgive · 01/10/2014 11:47

Not that he'd be so stupid. He sent out a letter saying water only, was roundly ignored and we heard no more about it.

kilmuir · 01/10/2014 13:31

How controlling. My DS has a mix of packed lunch or freebie slop

OddBoots · 01/10/2014 13:35

allowing choice on the day would end up with a lot of waste so I can understand not allowing that, I've heard of schools saying you can decide at the start of the week if it will be school meals or packed lunch that week or on a half termly/termly basis - I can't imagine any place saying you have to stick with the same decision for 3 years though!

mumof6needssanity · 02/10/2014 12:01

My dc's primary allows the dc to choose each day. So today 3 of mine had hot dinner and 1 a packed lunch. Tomorrow they will all have hot school dinner.

Missunreasonable · 02/10/2014 12:04

How can they stop people ordering a free school meal and then not using it because the child brings a packed lunch? If we are talking about ks1 free school meals then the school gets paid for them by the govt and the school isn't losing out. If we are talking about means tested FSM then the school also gets paid for these by the local council and the school will also get pupil premium so the school are not missing out financially whether a meal is eaten or not. The food waste would be terrible and unjustifiable though.

Greenfizzywater · 02/10/2014 12:16

How can they stop people ordering a free school meal and then not using it

bet you wouldn't do that if you were paying for it. Perfectly reasonable to have to decide one way or another and stick with that for the year, allows the school to plan and not waste taxpayers money.

Missunreasonable · 02/10/2014 12:25

I agree you wouldn't do that if you were paying for it, I was merely referring to how enforceable the policy is and wondering why the school is so arsey about something that is costing them nothing. I would much rather we didn't have free school meals at all and that the cost was just lower for everybody.

Greenfizzywater · 02/10/2014 12:26

It's not costing nothing, just that the cost is borne centrally. the school is trying to be responsible with taxpayers money.

spanieleyes · 02/10/2014 12:51

And the subsidy from the government doesn't cover the full cost of the meal, in our case the school itself is subsidising each meal by 20p, which is bad enough when the meals are being eaten, a dreadful waste when they are ordered and not eaten.

NoSquirrels · 02/10/2014 12:56

I think it's a reasonable policy, tbh.

Our primary you can choose once per term school meals or packed lunch.

Think of the admin involved on chopping and changing every day! Sometimes, although it may not be ideal, you need to make the choice that is most realistic.

Missunreasonable · 02/10/2014 13:02

It's not costing nothing, just that the cost is borne centrally. the school is trying to be responsible with taxpayers money.

I didn't say it was costing nothing, is said it was costing THEM (the school) nothing. If the school are subsidising the meals then I wonder why because the school meals I have seen are poor quality and tiny portions and shouldn't be costing very much to produce even with staffing costs.
I shall repeat : I think nobody should get a 'free' school meal. Everybody should pay and that will make people be more considerate with their choices.

SapphireMoon · 02/10/2014 13:27

Too controlling.
Take up of school meals is encouraged at our primary but children can still bring in pack lunch as and when they please.
Our meal provider also offers a pack up option which children can choose on a daily basis in the morning.

Doodledot · 02/10/2014 13:35

Ours decide per 1/2 term. Makes sense to me. 95 percent are happily eating the dinner as ours are great.

BlackeyedSusan · 02/10/2014 13:48

we have to choose a full week of school meals for half a term or a full week of packed lunches for half a term.

I wouldhaveliked to have a free school meal on a fixed day per week but it was not allowed.

Galena · 02/10/2014 14:26

We can choose daily. They seem to cope...

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread