School Meals

We are delighted that the school meals have been very successful and that the number of children staying for meals has exceeded our expectations. 

The meals are served in the hall and children can sit together with friends whether they take a school meal or have a packed lunch provided from home.  We are very keen to ensure that this time is a pleasant, social environment and the children are welcome to stay for as long as they wish.  

The children in the Early Years (Reception) come into the hall first and eat their meals as a group with the support of their Learning Support Assistants and the Mid-Day Assistants.  We help them with any difficult wrappers, cut up food for them and encourage them to eat the lunch provided either by their family or their hot meal.  We will contact you if we have any consistent concerns regarding the amount that they are eating because it is very important the children do not go into the afternoon school session hungry. 

Our catering managers have worked hard to put together a menu which the children enjoy and also one which meets all the School Food Trust’s recommendations.  We will continue to ensure that our menus more than meet the nutritional guidelines but as an Academy we have the freedom to put together our own menu which takes into account the likes and dislikes of our children. 

Jotmans Hall’s school meals menus have been put together with an emphasis on healthy choices and, with this in mind, we offer a range of savoury dishes with either vegetables or salad plus a selection of fruit, yoghurts and other homemade desserts.  Water is freely available for the children to drink. 
 

Allergies

Due to the number of children with nut allergies, we operate a nut-free policy with all food in school.  We would ask parents and carers to avoid including nuts in any item in their child’s lunchbox. 

In addition, our catering managers will work closely with parents and carers of any child with food allergies to try to cater for their needs.  Please contact them on their email address if you have any queries regarding your child’s specific requirements (kitchen@jotmanshall.essex.sch.uk)

How to Order

Children are very welcome to try a hot meal at any time.  Children will be asked each morning what they would like for lunch that day. 

Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM)

From September 2014 ALL pupils in Early Years, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free school meal under this Government initiative.