Lunchtimes
A welcome from Taylor Shaw, our new school caterer
The school’s catering service is provided by Taylor Shaw, caterer of choice for thousands of primary pupils across the UK.
Our menu is appetising, nutritious, balanced, and designed to encourage children to enjoy food, learn, play, and grow. Lunch is an integral part of the school day and something all children should look forward to. Taylor Shaw’s dedicated catering team ensures the dining hall is a welcoming and happy place for your child.
Our menus meet the Government’s School Food Standards and the bronze Food for Life standards.
- All items on our menu are freshly cooked by our catering team in your school kitchens to ensure we’re always offering fresh and nutritious food whilst minimising salt and sugar in recipes.
- No undesirable additives or artificial trans fats are used
- Our menus provide for all dietary and cultural requirements
- Our suppliers adhere to all appropriate food safety standards
- Our catering team is supported with skills training in fresh produce
Taylor Shaw’s dedicated dietitians work with our Chef teams to ensure our menus are nutritionally sound, shaping recipes to ensure they meet the School Food Standards and standards set by Public Health England.
Our diverse menus include a wide variety of options to suit all tastes and are based on feedback from pupils, staff, the catering team, parents and guardians. We run a two-week menu cycle that changes twice a year.
Food is blended, mashed or chopped to the correct IDDSI level for each individual according to need by TWOA staff. Before any new menu is agreed, it must be first approved by the Speech and Language team to ensure that all elements are appropriate for our children.
Current menus
Managing allergies and other medical diets
Your child’s health and safety will always be of the utmost importance to us, and having accurate information about dietary needs and allergies is crucial for us to prepare and serve meals that meet their requirements
Taylor Shaw’s dietitians and catering team work together and follow a robust process, so you can feel reassured that whenever safely possible, an alternative menu will be provided. All the teams receive allergy training annually, and whenever there’s an update to allergen laws.
Our guide ‘Medical Diet Menus – A Guide for Parents, Guardians & Carers’ contains further information about the medical diet process and includes step by step instructions for you to record this information to ensure we are fully aware of any medical diet requirements.
About our food
Our menu is sourced responsibly and uses:
- Red Tractor-certified meat
- Marine Stewardship Council fish (MSC)
- Free-range eggs
- Local suppliers for bread, fruit & vegetables, and dairy products to reduce food miles
- Seasonal produce
Eat & lean
We encourage pupils to learn about food through our food education program which includes fun-themed events, assemblies, and displays with messaging around health and wellbeing.
Eating a school lunch is better for your child
Did you know only 1% of packed lunches meet the nutritional standards that currently apply to school food? Here are five reasons school lunches are better:
- They can save time & money
- They’re nutritionally better than a packed lunch
- They promote a varied diet & encourage new tastes
- They support inclusivity, dining with friends
- They help academic attainment by being linked to improved concentration
Free school meals
Nursery
Your child may be able to receive a free school meal if they attend a full day.
Reception Class, Year 1 or Year 2
Your child will be able to receive universal free school meals in reception class, year 1 or year 2.
Year 3 & above
On Universal Credit? You’ll qualify for Free School Meals
If you receive Universal Credit, your child will be eligible for Free School Meals from September 2026. The income cap has been lifted, but you still need to apply through your local authority.
- Save around £480+ per child each year
- Healthy, nutritious meals every school day
- Schools may receive additional funding to support your child
You may also qualify if you receive:
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
Children who receive these benefits directly (instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get Free School Meals. The cost of a school meal is currently £2.61.
Why applying for free school meals matters
How to check eligibility and apply for a free school meal
Making independent choices
We encourage children to be as independent as possible around meal-choices during registration time. Menus are published on this site should you wish to prepare your child and help them make choices. Do let your child’s pastoral teacher know if there are particular foods to avoid or ones you know they will enjoy.