School Lunches
All primary school children get free school meals in London
Since 2023, primary school children in state-funded schools in London receive free school meals funded by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. This is agreed on an annual basis.
How are school meals funded?
We receive 3 separate budgets to fund free school meals:
FSM - Free School Meals - Government funding based on eligibility criteria about the household family income and benefit entitlement
UIFSM - Government grant for children in Reception, Years 1 and Years 2 (who are not entitled to FSM)
The Mayor of London FSM grant for children in Years 3, 4 ,5 & 6 (who are not entitled to FSM)
Free School Meals - based on benefit income / Pupil Premium Grant
You may be entitled to Free School Meals (based on benefits / low income) please email the school office with your full name and national insurance number giving us permission to check whether you are entitled to claim. Please do ask the office to check as eligible children mean that we receive additional funding in school to pay for school meals and a Pupil Premium Grant which means we can support low income families with the cost of trips and provide additional resources to help your child achieve to their full potential at school
Ordering a free meal for your children
As we are expecting more children to have a school meal from September, we are unable to continue with a free choice for the children at the counter as ABM Catering have requested that meals are ordered one week in advance to minimise food waste.
From September 2023, you will need to order your children's meals one week in advance and choose their main meal from the menu. Other menu items which include the salad bar, daily fresh bread, fruit and daily desserts will be available for the children to choose in the lunch hall.
You will need to log onto the Arbor app to book the meals. This is very easy to do.
If you DO NOT book a meal before the cut off time, which is displayed on Arbor, we will not be able to provide your children with a meal and you must send them in with a packed lunch.
Grow Menu - Feb-May 2025 - Week 1.pdfGrow Menu - Feb-May 2025 - Week 2.pdfGrow Menu - Feb-May 2025 - Week 3.pdf
Our children enjoy a freshly-prepared, nutritious meal, which is healthy and balanced, to prepare them for an afternoon of learning. We also take the opportunity to develop good table manners, skills in using cutlery and recognise that lunchtime is a time to relax and develop social skills.
New menus are displayed below. Please note the sandwich option is available for years 3,4,5 & 6 children only.
If your child has an allergy and you would like them to have a school meal please complete the form below and email it to the school office. They will forward it to our caters ABM, who will contact you to discuss a suitable menu. Please note that medical evidence of the allergy is required for their records.
If you need any help please contact the school office - office@elp.rbksch.org or 0208 397 3864
Special Diets - Allergies
If your child requires a special diet due to a medically diagnosed condition you must complete the online ABM Special Diet form here or via the QR code on the document from ABM below. Once completed, the Menus and Diets department at ABM will create a Special Diet menu if required. All information shared with ABM will be treated in confidence and in line with the General Data Protection Regulations. If you require any further information please contact the school office who will put you in touch with ABM catering to discuss any issues if required.
GROW On-line Special Diet Procedure.pdf