Lunchtimes

Lunchtime is an important time of the day, giving children the opportunity to develop their independence and social skills whilst also refuelling for successful afternoon learning. At Shaftesbury Park Primary School, children have a choice of either a hot school meal or to bring a packed lunch.

Meal choices are for a half-term at a time and may be changed by giving written notice to the School Office.

School Meals

Shaftesbury Park is proud to be a Healthy School. Our caterers, Harrison Catering Services, work with nutritionists and follow all relevant guidelines to ensure that our menus are not only delicious but healthy and nutritionally balanced too.

Every day the children are served:

  • a choice of two balanced main meals including one vegetarian option
  • a choice of either fruit, yogurt or a healthy dessert

Shhhh, don’t tell the children but even our cakes are healthy, being made with fruit and vegetables and having no added sugar!

The following items are also available every day:

  • Unlimited salad from our salad bar
  • Optional homemade bread

Please click here to see the menu for the Spring 2 – Summer Term, 2024.

Catering for Children with Special Dietary Requirements

Harrison Catering Services pride themselves on being able to cater for all children, including those with special dietary requirements.

If your child has special dietary requirements, please complete and return a Food Allergy and Food Intolerance Management Form which can be found on our Downloads page.

Free School Meals

From September 2023, all children from Reception to Year 6 are entitled to receive a free school meal.

Parents must, however, complete a Meal Arrangements Form in order to apply for this. This can be found on our Downloads page.

Why am I being asked to apply if this is free?

There are two reasons for this:

Firstly, returning the Meal Arrangements Form will inform the school that you wish your child to have a free school meal rather than a packed lunch (should you wish your child to bring a packed lunches from home they may of course do so).

Secondly, completion of this form will allow Shaftesbury Park to determine whether we may claim the Pupil Premium – additional funding from the Government to be used on enrichment activities, teacher development, and targeted support for the children that need it most.

If your child is eligible for the Pupil Premium, this may also entitle you to other benefits like food vouchers during the holidays so checking eligibility is beneficial to you too.

School dinners for children in our Giraffe and Zebra Nursery Classes are payable unless they are eligible for the pupil premium (children and young people in any year group may be entitled to free school meals if their family is in receipt of certain benefits). For more information on this, please email Debra Stocker debra.stocker@shaftesburypark.wandsworth.sch.uk

For current prices, please see the Additional Services Price List available on our Downloads page.

Packed Lunches

Instead of having a school meal, children may alternatively bring in a packed lunch.

All parents are requested to support our Healthy School agenda to help children learn about making healthy food choices by ensuring that their child’s packed lunch adheres to our Packed Lunch Policy which can be found on the School Policies page.

Packed lunches should be brought to school in a labelled packed lunch box or bag. Glass/breakable containers are not permitted.

Packed Lunches for School Trips

Packed lunches for full-day school trips are available for free for any child in receipt of a Free School Meal. These must be ordered in advance, however, by completing an Harrison Catering Packed Lunch Pre-Order Form (available on our Downloads page or on request from the School Office).

Should you wish to provide your own packed lunch for your child, you may of course do so. This must be in keeping with our Packed Lunch Policy and not include any fizzy drinks or chocolate.

Please note: all children are required to bring their own bottle of water, whether receiving a packed lunch from the school or bringing one from home.

Nut Free School

Shaftesbury Park is a nut-free school. We would like to remind all parents/carers that nuts and nut products are not permitted on school property. We have a number of children who unfortunately suffer from severe nut allergies which may be triggered by touching, inhaling or ingesting even the slightest trace or residue of the allergen, resulting in a severe, systemic, potentially fatal allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. We thank you for your cooperation in this matter.