We offer free healthy breakfasts daily to all students, from 8.30-8.45am, comprising bagels, toast and fruit juice. We encourage staff and students to use the breakfast time to sit together in our dining area, socialise and start the day positively.

As an academy, we aim to support local businesses: Our lunches are provided by a local catering company, who provide a range of warm and cold lunches, made freshly to order daily, and meet all dietary requirements. We strive to provide tasty and nutritious meals whilst impacting the environment as little as possible.

Drinking water is freely available and students are encouraged to bring in reusable bottles.

During breaktime we operate a student tuck shop offering snacks and fruit juice for students to purchase. We also have complimentary juice available daily.

Free School Meals

Who is eligible for free school meals?

If you are receiving one of the following benefits or support, your child will have the right to a free school meal:

Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit and your annual income is below £16,190 (as worked out by HM Revenue & Customs)
Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Parents receiving Working Tax Credit for four weeks after their employment finishes are entitled to free school meals during that period. This also applies to parents who start working less than 16 hours per week.
You are not entitled to Free School Meals if you receive Working Tax Credit except where the ‘4 week run-on’ applies as described above.

Pupils are also entitled to claim free school meals in their own right if they are in receipt of any of the above benefits.

How to Apply

A request has to be made before the Council can provide free school meals. Normally, the parent or guardian of the child makes the request.

Please note: you will have to pay for any school meals your child has before receives your application.

You can apply for free school meals up to a maximum of two months before your child starts school.

What happens when the Council receives your application

Once you have applied for free school meals, the Council aims to deal with your request within 2 working days. When you apply online, your entitlement to free school meals will be checked automatically as part of the online process. In most cases this is all that is needed but, if they are unable to confirm your entitlement using this service, they will contact you for more information.

Once your application is dealt with you will receive a letter confirming your entitlement to free school meals. We will also be advised that your child can start having free school meals.

You do not have to reapply for free school meals. As long as your circumstances stay the same, your childs right to free school meals will be renewed in July each year. You will receive a letter at that time to confirm that your children will continue to receive free school meals.

What happens if my circumstances change?

If you have a change in your circumstances you must let your local Council know straight away as it may affect your entitlement to free school meals. The things you must tell them about are:

If you stop receiving Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
HMRC reviews your claim for Child Tax Credit / Working Tax Credit
You stop receiving support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
A child leaves your home
A child comes to live with you
Your child changes school
You change address