The menu is supplied by Nourish, a company employed by The King Alfred Federation to oversee children's meals.

At Elfrida Primary School, all of our school dinners are cooked freshly on-site each day. We offer a minimum of 6 fresh salads available daily for our pupils to include with their meal. We create fun and exciting meal menus while also considering the feedback from our school council, which represents the voice of our pupils. We actively encourage all our pupils to try out our meals.

Our kitchens are run but experienced and dedicated teams, who works tirelessly to ensure that the food produced is of the highest quality.

It must be great because a large number of school staff pay to eat the dinners!

Each day children from Reception to Year 2 enjoy a hot meal, free of charge (Universal Free School Meal).

Children in Years 3-6 are currently entitled to free Lord Mayor's Meals. This means that from September 2023 to July 2024, meals will be free for all pupils. We are encouraging all of our families to ensure their children take up the FREE school meal options. This can result in a saving of around £450.00 per child.

We ask that children in Years 3-6 make a selections of either school dinner, Jacket potato or packed lunches, and they stick to that option for half a term. This way we can ensure that we order the correct amount of food for the hot meal and minimise waste.

Free School Meals

From September 2024 (when the Lord Mayor's Meals program ends), Year 3 parents will need to pay for their child's school dinner or apply to Lewisham for a free meal if they are entitled to it.

Currently, eligible families who successfully apply for Free School Meals are entitled to a voucher for their children's meals during the holidays. These vouchers are committed until March 2024 and can result in a £90.00 payment over the summer, £15.00 over the end-of-half-term, and £30.00 over the Christmas period.

Who is eligible:

Your child can get free school meals if your combined annual household income is below £16,190 (as assessed by HMRC) and you get one of the following benefits:

• income-based: income support or jobseeker’s allowance (not eligible if on contribution based jobseeker’s allowance)
• income-related: employment support allowance (not eligible if on contribution based employment support allowance)
• universal credit
• income support
• the guaranteed element of state pension credit
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• child tax credit only.
•  

If you're not on benefits

If your income is below £16,190 and you are not on any benefits your family will not be eligible.

If one parent earns above £16,190

If one partner or spouse in the household gets benefits and the other gets an annual income above £16,190, as assessed by HMRC, your family will not be eligible for free school meals.

If you get working tax credits

If you get working tax credit regardless of your annual household income your family will not be eligible for free school meals.

Changes to free school meals eligibility from 1 April 2018

Universal credit is being introduced over the next few years and will replace existing benefits, such as housing benefit and JSA. We expect the rollout to be completed by March 2022. This may affect your school meals eligibility.

Applying for free school meals from 1 April 2018

If you are on universal credit, you can only apply for free school meals for children in year three and above if you earn £7,400 per year or less.

If you child already gets free school meals

If you are moved onto universal credit and your child already gets free school meals, they can still get free school meals, even if you earn more than £7,400, until the end of the rollout period in March 2022.

If your child is in reception or years one and two

Children in reception and years one and two are not affected by the changes.

If you aren’t on universal credit yet

If you haven’t been moved onto universal credit yet, you can still apply for free school meals and your application will be based on the old eligibility criteria above.

How to apply for free school meals

You can apply online for free school meals.

You do not need to reapply each year but if your child changes school, you will need to tell us.

If you would like support in applying for free school meals please see a member of the office team.

Packed Lunches

Children from Years 3-6 are welcome to bring a packed lunch, which they can eat in the dinner hall or outside in the playground when the weather is warm and dry.

It is essential that children's midday meal is a balanced and healthy one so we have developed guidelines to help parents with what to include.

Food Allergies, Intolerances, and other Dietary-Related Medical Conditions

Food allergies, intolerances, and other dietary-related medical conditions are growing concerns for schools. Children who are affected can suffer severe or even fatal reactions if they eat or come into contact with food they're allergic to. Our catering contracts ensure that the 14 main allergies are catered for in our school menus. Please refer to our termly menus to see the ingredients and allergies that have been accommodated.

If your child has an allergy or a food intolerance, please email the school office at here.  Also, kindly ensure that you keep the school updated on any dietary and medical changes.

• Food allergies (e.g., to cow's milk)

• Other dietary-related medical conditions

• Please note - you need to attach all medical documentation.

Sample menu: