School Meals

Lunches at Cotham Gardens are provided by Alliance in Partnership (AIP).

In September 2020 we introduced a new meal booking system so that meals are ordered in advance. This has helped reduce food waste and make ordering meals easier for parents and the school. Details on this are available here

Payment of School Meals

How much do school meals cost?

Currently school meals are priced as follows;

1 day - £2.35
2 days - £4.70
3 days - £7.05
4 days - £9.40
5 days - £11.75

How do I pay for my child’s meals?

All meals must be both booked and paid for in advance using the ParentPay system. If your child receives Free School Meals, you must still book their meal via your child's ParentPay account.

Payment can be made either:

online via parentpay.com
Alternatively payment for meals is welcome a month or term in advance.

What if I miss a payment?

As meals are paid for and booked in advance, We are not able to provide a meal to your child where it has not been booked or paid for. In this case we will ring you to ask you to bring a packed lunch to school for your child. The school is not obliged to provide food; its duty is to provide education. The option of providing food is a service that parents either pay for or are eligible for free school meals (see below for details).

All historic outstanding arrears should be settled as soon as possible.

Meals are ordered with the kitchen by 09.45 a.m. each day, therefore if a child is sent home for any reason after this time the meal will still need to be paid for.

Allergies

What is a food allergy?

A food allergy is an abnormal immune response to food. The signs and symptoms may range from mild to severe. They may include itchiness, swelling of the tongue, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, trouble breathing, or low blood pressure. This typically occurs within minutes to several hours of exposure. When the symptoms are severe, it is known as anaphylaxis. Food intolerance and food poisoning are separate conditions.

Common foods involved include cow's milk, peanuts, eggs, shellfish, fish, tree nuts, soy, wheat, rice, and fruit. The common allergies vary depending on the country. Risk factors include a family history of allergies, vitamin D deficiency, obesity, and high levels of cleanliness. Allergies occur when immunoglobulin E (IgE), part of the body's immune system, binds to food molecules. A protein in the food is usually the problem. This triggers the release of inflammatory chemicals such as histamine.

It is important to take food allergy seriously. Under the new Food Information regulations, our caterers have a legal responsibility to provide the correct allergen information about the ingredients that is in the food they make or serve, to our students, staff and visitors.

Parents/Carers should provide the school with sufficient and up to date information about their son/daughter’s food allergies. They must carry out any action they have agreed to as part of its implementation. For example, provide medicines and equipment and ensure that they, or another nominated adult, are contactable at all times.

Parents/Carers are responsible for ensuring that any required medication to be kept on site (eg EpiPens, inhalers, specific antihistamine) is supplied, in date and replaced as necessary.

The role of our caterers

Please note that AIP Catering have a nut-free policy on site.

The caterers are aware of all individual student allergies and specific dietary requirements and provide clear labelling to all food served in the dining rooms at each site.

The caterers provide copies of the relevant school’s 3 weekly menu cycle. The weekly menu is also placed in the dining room in each school.

The role of our pupils

Students will be fully involved in discussions about their food allergies and will be asked to contribute as much as possible.

The role our parents/Carers

Parents/Carers are responsible for ensuring that any required medication to be kept on site (eg EpiPens, inhalers, specific antihistamine) is supplied, in date and replaced as necessary.

Free School Meals

For information about Free School Meals (FSM) please see our FSM pages here

Copies of the new menu can be found at both school offices.