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Primary education

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

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Original poster

Free school meals on trips

49 replies

Tiggywrinkle · 19/10/2018 16:07

Children in reception, yr1 and yr2 are entitled to free school meals (in England).

What happens when they go on trips? Do schools provide free packed lunches? Is there a legal requirement for them to do this?

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NotCitrus · 20/10/2018 10:15

All children who get school meals get school pack lunch for trips here, but about 2/3 are on fsm so it's probably just easier for the school.
For refugees and other families counting pennies it's good they don't have to worry (and nice for busy parents not used to remembering to pack a lunch)

hibbledibble · 20/10/2018 14:14

We provide packed lunch for all school trips, thats for ks1 pupils, and also for KS2 pupils when we already have paid for school dinners. School does not provide packed lunch, including for those on free school meals.

April2020mom · 20/10/2018 17:17

I always took my own lunch on trips. Usually it included sandwiches or cookies with fruit and a bottle of water for hydration. It was waay cheaper than buying stuff to eat.

Auntpetunia2015 · 20/10/2018 17:24

Former school business admin here. Schools have to legally provide a packed lunch to all reception year 1 and year 2 pupils every day of the school year even if they are on a trip. Lots of parents do opt to take their own lunch because kids want chocolate crisps and fizzy drinks which they don’t get in a school packed lunch.

User9870 · 20/10/2018 21:50

Our school makes packed lunch for fsm on trips.

Though my DD is entitled to the fsm for Yr r/1/2 now but doesn't like the school pack lunches so takes one from home. I think it's the juice...it's always fresh juice which she has never liked and would prefer water.

AnnoyedByAlfieBear · 20/10/2018 21:59

Were always told to pack a lunch for DS on trips (he's in yr 2). I've often thought that the school should be providing it. I wonder why they don't if it's legally required. There must surely be a loop hole.

AnnoyedByAlfieBear · 20/10/2018 22:03

Actually, reading the gov.uk link that @Norestformrz posted above, they specify hot meals for children which would be almost impossible on a trip.

jmh740 · 20/10/2018 22:16

At our school on trips children are expected to bring their own lunch no-one gets a packed lunch provided by school

Thundercracker · 20/10/2018 22:25

We are in a fairly wealthy area though and I think in the whole of KS1 there are fewer than five children on FSM.

Unless you are staff at the school, I think something's gone very wrong that you know, or think you know, that. Those children and families deserve privacy.

TheSteakBakeOfAwesome · 21/10/2018 07:30

We fill in if we want our free packed lunch when we do the school trip permission letter - and the takeup is actually fairly high (despite my best attempts to avoid it I ended up going on all the flipping trips last year) and they're fairly decent actually. We get asked to provide a couple of drinks in cartons so they're binnable after being drunk.

DD1's a right saddo though so some school tuna sandwiches and cake thing is like the high point of school trip day for her!

Leyani · 21/10/2018 21:56

Never occurred to me to send lunch in for trips and dc never complained. I guess they are all given lunch but I need to ask if others all bring packed lunch from home. Feel a bit guilty now, just assumed school does it for them all as they usually give them dinner

Norestformrz · 22/10/2018 05:46

When we take KS1 children on a school trip they are all provided with a packed lunch

MongerTruffle · 22/10/2018 17:48

Actually, reading the gov.uk link that Norestformrz posted above, they specify hot meals for children which would be almost impossible on a trip.

The aim is to provide a hot meal, but that's not always possible.

Leeds2 · 22/10/2018 18:47

I volunteer in a school, and sometimes go on school trips as a helper. Free packed lunch is offered ate all children, and staff. It is the same every time - grated cheese roll, satsuma, cake bar, kitkat and a bottle of water. Many children opt to bring in their own lunches.

Earslaps · 22/10/2018 22:37

Unless you are staff at the school, I think something's gone very wrong that you know, or think you know, that. Those children and families deserve privacy.

Schools legally have to publish the % of children on pupil premium, so it doesn't take a genius to look at the % and work out how many children that is. Ok, so PP doesn't always equal FSM but it will be broadly in line.

TheSteakBakeOfAwesome · 23/10/2018 06:51

Um... Every child in infants gets free school meals so it's not some matter of great secrecy

mindutopia · 23/10/2018 21:26

We're always asked to provide a lunch and there's no obvious provision for packed lunches (but perhaps there is for certain students, who might need a free meal). In our case, we don't need one and can certainly afford to send one in, but there may be a discreet means of requesting one if you need it?

MissMooMoo · 25/10/2018 12:34

Our council provide FSM to every primary child and always provide a packed lunch for trips.

Rebecca899 · 26/10/2018 04:51

Our school provides a lunch

MrsWombat · 26/10/2018 09:48

The school I work in provides a lunch which has to be ordered well in advance as the kitchen are really inflexible on this. They get a choice of sandwich filling. Not sure what else they can choose. We normally end up ordering lots of extra cheese sandwich lunches just in case as someone always forgets. I would always suggest packing an extra snack and some extra water. At my children's school you can order a packed lunch if you are not FSM.

legocardsagain · 26/10/2018 10:45

We don't get free packed lunch. They only do 1 trip a year so it's no big deal really. But we only have 1 child and cash is not tight. I get how difficult this can be, especially if school is shot at giving you notice.

Beingginger · 26/10/2018 10:51

Our school do a packed lunch for all children who get school lunches regardless of FSM.
My dc have packed lunches anyway so we’ve never had one but when I’ve seen them off on trips I guess at least half the kids have one.

Boatsnack3 · 26/10/2018 10:53

Our school provide packed lunches to all P1-P3 and all pupils on fsm. They even get sent home with packed lunches on fridays even though school finishes at 12.25.

Ifailed · 26/10/2018 10:53

We get asked to provide a couple of drinks in cartons so they're binnable after being drunk.
Why not bring them home and recycle them?

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