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North Ayrshire Council

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School Catering

We provide school meal menus which offer a range of healthy nutritious foods. The whole school is involved and the pupils are being educated in nutrition. We hope that this will encourage children to:

  • Adopt healthy eating in their everyday lives and
  • Eat healthy foods in school

Payment

All secondary schools and some primaries now operate the IMPACT cashless catering system. Secondary pupils use the OneScotland Card to pay for their meals. Parents of pupils at schools operating the cashless system can now pay on-line as well as by cheque or cash.

We take part in a number of initiatives including:

  • Breakfast Clubs
  • Free fruit at Primary Schools
  • Hungry for success
  • Primary Schools Family Service

Free fruit at Primary Schools

This educates children to eat fruit on a regular basis and improve their diets. All Primary 1 and Primary 2 children receive free fruit 3 times per week funded by The Scottish Government. Nursery children also receive free fruit 3 times per week funded by NHS Ayrshire and Arran Nursery Fruit Provision.

Hungry For Success

Hungry for Success is a Scottish Government initiative that aims to revitalise the school meals service.

It aims to:

  • Establish nutritional standards for school meals
  • Improve the presentation of school meals to increase general take up
  • Eliminate any stigma attached to taking free school meals

We provide a choice of nutritious meals to suit different tastes for an inclusive price of £1.80. The basis for this is the four weekly menu which meets the Scottish Government regulations.

Primary Schools Family Service

We've introduced this new way to serve school meals in some of our primary schools.

The scheme involves:

  • Children remaining at the table
  • No queuing
  • Main items chosen and served at the table
  • Vegetables, potatoes and bread are on the table for children to serve themselves
  • A calm and sociable environment is created

Special Dietary Needs

If a pupil has a special diet for medical reasons we can cater for this. This is how it works:

  • Parents/guardians should already have been referred to and have met with an NHS Dietician
  • Parents/guardians should inform the head teacher of the pupil's special dietary needs
  • If the pupil requires a school meal the catering supervisor should also be informed
  • The school will send a Special Diet Request Form to the parent/guardian which should be completed and returned to the school
  • When the catering staff fully understand the pupil's needs they can provide the pupil with school meals.

For Further information please see the Diet Manual (PDF 315Kb) produced by NHS Ayrshire & Arran

Which types of special dietary requirements can school meals cater to?
Healthy eating, vegetarian multi-cultural and special dietary items are included in menu plans. If you have any specific concerns or requests, please contact the school meals catering service.

What food is offered to my child at secondary school?
Secondary schools operate a cafeteria style service with healthy choices being made available.

What food is offered to my child at primary school?
Pupils in Primary schools are offered a two course meal with a choice of main course, supplemented by salads and bread, and which meet the new Scottish Nutrient Guidelines for School Meals.

What are the advantages of my child having school meals?
If your child has school meals, they are receiving a nutritional daily meal, which saves you having to prepare a packed lunch or arrange for them to come home at lunchtime. It is also an opportunity for your child to develop social skills as they sit with other children to eat lunch.

How much does a school meal cost?
There is a fixed charge for a meal in a Primary school which currently is £1.80. At Secondary schools the cost varies according to the individual choice from the menu.

Do all schools provide school meals at lunchtime?
Yes, all schools offer food at lunchtimes. The style and type of provision may vary according to the school and the length of the school lunchbreak.