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Thomas Ashton School

School Meals

We are very lucky to have our own school kitchen on site. The kitchen is run by Robertson F.M. Every day fresh meals are cooked to order. There is an agreed menu that rotates over a 3 week period. Every morning pupils get to choose the meal they want from that day’s menu. This is done during the morning registration session and orders are then collected and taken to the kitchen by 9.30am.

The kitchen staff are very accommodating and will try as much as possible to give pupils what they want. However, it is important to note that pupils arriving late to school may be too late to order and will therefore have to choose from what is left when they get to the serving counter at lunchtime.

The variety and quality of meals are both excellent and represent real value for money. They are nutritional and the menus try to reflect what young people like, combined with the foods they need to be eating to ensure they are fit and healthy. The kitchen uses the School Council to review menus and to seek views and opinions from the pupils. Pupils will always be told of changes to the menus in advance so that there are ‘no surprises’!

There is great value in knowing your child gets a good hot meal every day. Chef is always happy to discuss food options should a child be particularly ‘choosy’ or medically intolerant regarding certain foods. However, occasionally some people prefer their own sandwiches, so you can bring your own packed lunch if you would prefer.

Those bringing packed lunches still need to abide by our ‘Healthy Lunchbox’ guidance please! (click here for this guidance).

School meals currently cost £2.68 (September 2023). Meals must be paid for at the school office or direct into the school bank account at the beginning of the week.

Please see below a sample menu of lunches offered through the school kitchen.

Apply for free school meals

If ever the pupils are off-site on an activity during lunchtime, a ‘grab bag’ will be ordered from the kitchen for them to take with them.

Meals are eaten together with all pupils and staff sitting at the dining table in their own classroom. Food is brought to the classrooms in a ‘hot trolley’ and the children are served their meals by the staff. This is a very ‘family’ approach to eating and is both a learning and a social activity.

Please note – water and juice are always available throughout the day in school including lunchtime, so we ask that pupils do not bring their own drinks to school, especially ‘fizzy’ drinks. If they do, these will be kept safely at the school office and returned to the pupil at the end of the day.