Meopham Community Academy's current catering for school lunches is provided by TCS Independent Ltd.

TCS Independent Ltd are based in Northfleet, Kent and started business in 1999 out of a desire to create a catering company that would specialise in providing primary school children with a meal that they would actually eat and enjoy without compromising on quality and nutritional value.

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Gill Russell, the catering manager from TCS (Total Catering Solutions), the school’s catering provider attended the meeting to discuss the feedback received regarding school dinners within school. The discussion mainly concentrated on feedback with regards to the quality of the food (menu design and cooking), portion sizes and the need for a balanced diet to be offered and provided for. It was agreed that TCS would provide a written response to the concerns raised as a way of informing the whole parent community. Here is their written response:

Payment

Hot school lunches must be paid for online through the Arbor payment facility.  Arbor is easy to use and you can top up or view your account balance at anytime on a laptop/tablet/smartphone.

If you have any questions on the system please direct them to TCS on 01474 338739.

There is no need to book your meal but you must ensure that your balance stays above £5. All pupils in Years R, 1 and 2are entitled to free school meals.

If your child is absent from school and misses lunch, there is no need for you to do anything.

Packed Lunches

If your child is bringing their own packed lunch, please send in a clearly named lunchbox so they are not misplaced.

Our aim for our packed lunch children is to ensure that all packed lunches brought from home and consumed within the academy (or on educational visits) provide the pupil with healthy and nutritious food, which is now regulated by national standards.

Some healthy lunchbox options might include:

• at least one portion of fruit and one portion of vegetables every day.
• meat, fish or other source of non-dairy protein (e.g. lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, hummus and falafel) every day
• oily fish, such as salmon, at least once every three weeks.
• a starchy food such as any type of bread, pasta, rice, couscous, noodles, potatoes or other type of cereals every day.
• dairy food such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, fromage frais or custard every day.
• only water, fresh fruit juice, milk, yoghurt or milk drinks and smoothies.

Fresh drinking water is always available from the canteen area should pupil's want a drink or should you wish not to send a drink in with your child's packed lunch.

We ask that you do not send in:

• processed snack foods such as crisps (as an alternative include seeds, vegetables and fruit, savoury crackers (without nuts) or breadsticks)
• peanut butter
• hazelnut chocolate spread
• confectionary such as chocolate bars, chocolate-coated biscuits and sweets.

For more information on packed lunches please read our Food Guidelines in our Policies section.

Free School Meals

KS1 (Reception - Year 2)

On 17 September 2013 the Department for Education announced that all infant school pupils (pupils in reception and years 1 and 2 in state funded schools in England will be eligible for a free school meal from September 2014

KS2 (Years 3 - 6)

If you have a child in KS2, free meals are available to families who receive the following benefits: Income Support; Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance; Income-related Employment & Support Allowance; State Pension Credit; Child Tax Credit (check entitlements); or Working Tax Credits.

Please contact the office for an application form. All requests are dealt with confidentially. Even if your child does not want a school lunch we would encourage you to apply, as you may be entitled to other financial support.